By Elizabeth Culliford
(Reuters) – Russia’s communications regulator on Monday demanded TikTok stop including military-related content in recommended posts for minors, in an announcement shared in its official Telegram channel.
The regulator Roskomnadzor said it had identified content on the video-sharing app related to Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine and that a lot of it was anti-Russian in character.
TikTok is popular with younger users and also has a version aimed towards children under 13. It was not clear exactly what was meant in saying TikTok was recommending content specifically to minors. The company has recently said it is testing age-rated content restrictions.
The app, which was originally known for lip-syncing videos and viral dance trends, has been widely used to document events and share news in the run-up to and during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It has also seen the spread of misleading footage about the conflict.
Russia, which has fined tech firms and hobbled their services in the country during a long stand-off with Big Tech platforms, has ramped up restrictions during the conflict.
TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(This story fixes typo in first paragraph)
(Reporting by Elizabeth Culliford and the Moscow bureau; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
