Now Netflix is ​​Included in the Giant Names Defying Russia!

Netflix does not succumb to Russian pressure to broadcast Russian state-owned or state-sponsored TV channels. The streaming service confirmed to Variety that it will not carry the 20 free state channels required under a Russian law, including Channel One, NTV and Spa. A spokesperson said the company has no plans to offer these channels in light of the “current situation”. That is, the country refuses to support the Russian state media while occupying Ukraine.

Known in the country as Vitrina TV law, the law requires audiovisual services with more than 100,000 subscribers to carry these channels. National regulator Roskomnadzor labeled Netflix as one of those services in December. The decision hasn’t been implemented yet, but it looks like Netflix won’t be implementing it anytime soon.

It’s also clear that Netflix isn’t afraid to pull out of Russia. The streaming giant only localized its service about a year ago and has no employees in the country. It began work on the first Russian original (an adaptation of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina) in May 2021, and Netflix has less than 1 million Russian subscribers, according to a source for The Wall Street Journal. In other words, the withdrawal of the service from the country may be a symbolic act rather than a great sacrifice.

Still, the tech industry is showing a growing backlash against Russian state media. Companies like Meta, Microsoft and Google have heavily restricted Russian news outlets like RT and Sputnik due to European Union ban and general policies against misinformation. Western tech firms are unwilling to spread Russia’s official message after the invasion of Ukraine and are not afraid of retaliation from the Russian administration.