Vladimir Putin is reportedly set to ban social media app TikTok in a bid to promote Russian state media.
The announcement was made by Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal agency for mass media, with the aim of redirecting Russians to domestic media platforms rather than international ones like TikTok.
Ekaterina Mizulina, Russia’s internet tsar and alleged mistress of President Vladimir Putin, was the first to comment on the move.
She posted on Telegram: “In Russia they proposed blocking TikTok. The proposal came from the Association of Professional Users of Social Networks and Messengers.”
She added that the goal was to boost the number of subscribers on Russian social networks and that Roskomnadzor would consider the appeal by May 8, reports the Daily Star.
However, this move has been met with global scepticism after it was revealed that TikTok had partnered with the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to combat Russian propaganda on the platform.
Ukrainian officials have labelled the move as a “psyop” by Russia aimed at brainwashing people.
A spokesman stated: “Recently, videos have appeared one after another on TikTok and other social networks, on which allegedly Ukrainian men are filming themselves abroad on vacation and calling themselves ‘evaders’.
“Such content quickly gains views and comments from the audience favourable and critical, but the discussions under these videos only push them into trends.
“The Kremlin’s propaganda does not stop trying to undermine Ukrainian society from within, to discredit the image of the Defenders of Ukraine, using any methods for this purpose.
“We urge everyone to be critical of information that comes from anonymous sources and to always remember that we owe the opportunity to live and, in particular, to consume various content in social networks, only to the Defense Forces of Ukraine.”
