​Telegram, at the request of Apple and Google, blocked several Russian and Belarusian pro-government channels. Among them are the Azarenka channel, RT journalist Prydybailo, subdivisions of Rusich mercenaries and others. Some channels are not available on iOS, others have been removed from Telegram entirely. — claims RT Russia.
If true, this could mean that smartphone giants are under pressure to carry out censorship of information. The threat is likely that the Telegram app will have to be removed from the AppStore / Google play store if the requests are not carried out by Telegram.
The fact that Telegram can restrict access to content depending on which device you’re connecting from is even more effective. It could soon be the case that due to Telegram being under pressure from tech giants — any device with western components/OS could be blocked from accessing information our governments categorize as “propaganda”
Some channels also disappeared without notice. Simply as if they were deleted by the owners.
As this news hit the network, several admins of big channels already said they will change the way they post. This alone is already censorship in action. If people have to censor what they post, it accomplishes the goal.
Of course, a lot of hard work goes into gaining subscribers. People spend all of their time and effort on their channels. It is hard work, work you do without compensation. It takes years to build up a follower base— and the fact that this can be taken away from the admins in a matter of seconds, it is scary.
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The only networks free of western control are now the Russian social media giant VK (Vkontakte) & Chinese social media, but Chinese media experience censorship of their own kind, an “automatic filter” so to speak.
