Russia threatens to ban Twitter in 30 days. All you need to know

The agency's action against the platform comes in the backdrop of tensions with western social media with regard to allegations of 'discrimination against Russia.

Russia has threatened to block the microblogging site Twitter within a month if the social media platform doesn't take steps to remove banned content from its platform, it said

Zeina Shahla, a Syrian journalist, checks her twitter at a cafe in the capital Damascus on March 1, 2021. - Virtual platforms like Netflix and Zoom have emerged as lifelines for a pandemic-hit world forced indoors, but in sanctioned Syria where both websites are blocked, people feel increasingly disconnected. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP) (AFP)

Here are the key points:

> Russia's state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, last week said it was slowing down uploading speed of photos and videos on Twitter over its alleged failure to remove content around drugs and child pornography as well as suicide among children.

> The agency's action against the platform comes in the backdrop of tensions with western social media with regard to allegations of 'discrimination against Russia. President Vladimir Putin on new year's eve gave the power to Roskomnadzor to block the platform if found 'discriminating' against Russian media, reported The Moscow Times.

> Roskomnadzor said Twitter failed to remove over 3,000 posts with banned content, including more than 2,500 posts, that has been accused to encourage suicide among minors. "Twitter doesn't react to our requests appropriately, and if things go on like this, then in a month it will be blocked, on an out-of-court basis," AP quoted deputy chief of the agency Vadim Subbotin as saying.

> Social media platforms have been immensely criticised by Moscow authorities after over thousands of people took to streets protesting against the arrest of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The protest demanding the release of Navalny has been reported to be the largest in years and had posed challenges to the Kremlin.

> The authorities also alleged that social media platforms failed to remove calls urging children to join the protests. Putin had also ordered the police to monitor social media sites and track people who "draw the children into illegal and unsanctioned street actions".

> The Kremlin also defended the agency's actions towards the platform as an attempt to force the site to follow the law of the land, which it has violated.

> LinkedIn, which is not so popular in Russia, has been banned by the authorities as it failed to store users' data on Russian servers. The decision to ban Telegram was last year reversed after a two-year attempt to block the app in the country.