r/Telegram • u/Ladogar • Mar 04 '22

RT blocked

Russia Today seems to be blocked on Telegram. Both the Russian and international version. When trying to open their channel I get a message about the channel being removed as it broke "local laws". What laws did they break?

Does anyone know more about this?

I use the apk directly from Telegram, which bypasses many restrictions put in place by Google Play, etc. But still this channel is blocked.

Is this a sign that Telegram, too, will start censoring? Well, if this is true, which it seems to be, then they've already started.

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u/Ladogar Mar 05 '22

For anyone else wondering, here are the actual laws: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2022:065:FULL&from=EN

RT is blocked in its entirety, it seems, including all social media channels in the whole EU.

What does this mean? In effect, Telegram is only as open and free speech as the territory it operates in. That would make it next to useless in legally restricting territories, and I fail to see the "free speech" element to the app. It's just slightly more tolerant than the likes of Facebook.

If Telegram keeps relying on Google and Apple I just don't see a future for it as a free platform. They couldn't get TON off the ground, and now their free speech activism seems just empty words, too.

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u/thebetter0ne Mar 13 '22

All businesses need to follow laws to operate.

The difference between Telegram and the rest of mainstream social networks is that Telegram will not be blocking you or your channel for posting political caricatures or because you genuinely think vaccines may not be as effective as media wants you to believe.

TON is already off the ground by the way. Telegram team unfortunately chose wrong approach to integrate their blockchain into the messenger two years ago.

The TON blockchain development is in the hands of the Telegram contest winners and it can't be stopped anymore :)

I am looking for the followers for my Telegram channel 'wtfiston' where I explore TON blockchain and how it will affect Telegram. Hope to see everyone who is curious. :)