Google restricts creation of new accounts in Russia, news agencies report

The logo of Google is seen outside Google Bay View facilities during the Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, US 13 August 2024. Photo: REUTERS

Alphabet's Google has restricted the creation of new accounts for Russian users, state news agencies cited Russia's digital ministry as saying on Thursday.

Google has been under pressure in Russia for several years, particularly for not taking down content Moscow considers illegal and for blocking the YouTube channels of Russian media and public figures since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"The ministry confirms that Google has restricted the creation of new accounts," Interfax quoted the digital ministry as saying. "Telecom operators have also recorded a significant reduction in the number of SMS messages sent by the company to Russian users."

Google and the ministry did not immediately respond to comment requests.

The ministry said there was no certainty that SMS confirmations for two-factor authentication would continue working, Interfax reported.

"The ministry recommends that users of Google services create backup copies of their data and switch to using alternative methods of two-factor authentication or to domestic platforms," the ministry said.

Google in August said it was deactivating AdSense accounts in Russia.

The US company stopped serving ads to users in Russia in March 2022 and paused monetisation of content that exploited, dismissed or condoned Russia's war in Ukraine.

It has blocked more than 1,000 YouTube channels, including state-sponsored news, and over 5.5 million videos.

Slower speeds have been recorded on Google's YouTube video hosting platform in Russia in recent months. Russian lawmakers blame the slowdown on Google's failure to upgrade equipment, something the company and technology experts dispute.