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Netflix pulls operations from Russia entirely over Kremlin-supporting streaming law

Popular streaming service Netflix is shutting down all of its operations in Russia.

No new customers will be able to sign up. It’s still unclear what will happen to existing accounts. The company hasn’t made an official call on that just yet. Netflix halted all of its Russia-affiliated projects last week.

Don’t push Netflix

Netflix stands to lose around one million subscribers from the move. The streaming service told the website, Vulture, that it did not intend to comply with the Russian broadcast law that requires streaming platforms to offer several “Russian government propaganda channels”.

Netflix joins a long list of companies who suspended or terminated their services in Russia after the country’s actions against Ukraine.

Last week, several film studios including Disney, Universal, Hollywood, and Warner Bros. announced that they intend to delay upcoming film releases in Russian theatres. Russia isn’t even allowed to see the new Batman. Now that’s vengeance.

Jail-time up to 15 years

Netflix isn’t the only entertainment company making like hard for the Russian public. TikTok is suspending live streaming and new video in Russia thanks to a new law concerning “fake news”. Items that contravene this law might land users in prison for up to fifteen years.

TikTok said that its suspension of the ability to live stream in the country was in order to protect “…the safety of our employees and our users.”

Netflix Divorce

Source: TechCentral, Eyewitness News, ArsTechnica

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