Russia blocks state-owned US online platform

Access to the ShareAmerica online platform belonging to the US State Department has been restricted in Russia.

The blocking was introduced at the request of Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor), which it subsequently published on its official website.

The site was blocked based on Article 15.3 of the Law "On Information" of Russia. The article regulates the restriction of access to information containing calls for mass riots and participation in unauthorised actions, and extremism, as well as to unreliable socially significant information distributed under the guise of reliable messages, known as fake news.

ShareAmerica said on its website that it shares stories and photographs about American society, life and culture, and the principles that underline the country's foreign policy and global engagement.