The? popular microblogging site Twitter has agreed to? block access to? accounts or posts that have been blacklisted by? Russia's Federal Service for? Supervision in? Telecommunications, Information Technology and? Mass Communications, a? statement? posted on the watchdog's website? said Friday.?
Since early March, the? administration of? the microblogging site has "actively been engaged in? cooperation" with the? information watchdog, already deleting one user's account and? restricting access in? Russia to? "five information materials" at? the request of? the information watchdog, the statement said.?
"Two of? the materials, according to? experts' conclusions, [were restricted] for? assisting the? distribution of? narcotics, and? three others? — for? promoting suicidal thoughts. Another account was deleted for? advertising a? network for? the distribution of? drugs. The? service was notified of? this today," the? statement said.
The statement also noted that negotiations had been under way with the? social platform for? some time now, but were complicated by? the social network's "management's lack of? practice in? interacting with foreign authorities in? respect of? removing or restricting illegal content."
According to? Izvestia, the? negotiations began last November, immediately after a? controversial law prohibiting the? distribution of? certain materials was passed to? protect children.
"The management's constructive attitude has now allowed us to? formulate a? mutually acceptable scheme for? interaction, allowing for? the further processing of? information from? the register in? acceptable terms for? the Russian side," the? watchdog's press service said.
The microblogging site identifies its Russian users by? IP address and? restricts access for? those users to? materials contained on? the watchdog's blacklist.?
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