The Russian government has now called on Netflix and other streaming services to include local state TV stations on their platforms, as the big technology corporations prepare to face off against Russia once again.
According to The Moscow Times, Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator, has stated that foreign streaming services must provide their subscribers with 20 Russian federal television stations. The legislation was passed in late 2020 and is expected to go into effect on March 1, 2022.
Netflix is forced to show a minimum of 20 state channels in Russia
The country’s major state channels, such as “Channel One,” the entertainment channel “NTC” (National TV Company), and the Orthodox church channel “Spas,” must be included on streaming services. Streaming material must also adhere to Russian laws, which means firms may be banned from distributing movies or shows that promote “extremism” or even LGBTQIA+ content.
The new Russian rules, as announced by the head of the country’s communications watchdog, extend to all online streaming services with more than 100,000 daily users. It is unclear whether Apple TV+ will be required to follow the new Russian legislation because Apple does not disclose how many subscribers or daily viewers it has.
In response to the introduction of new Russian legislation, Apple and the App Store have been targeted by an antitrust suit from Russia seeking for Apple to allow third-party payment choices. None of the major technology companies have addressed how or if they will comply with the new Russian laws.
