Wikipedia Ignored 200 Roskomnadzor Requests in 2024
According to media reports, since the beginning of 2024, Wikipedia has removed only one piece of content deemed illegal at the request of Roskomnadzor, even though the Russian regulator demanded the removal of 201 materials. As reported by Vedomosti, Roskomnadzor representatives clarified that out of the total number of removal requests this year, 129 were related to so-called “fake news” about the special military operation.
Other requests concerned extremist materials, information about involving minors in illegal activities such as rooftopping and train surfing, LGBT content (the movement is recognized as extremist and banned in Russia), instructions for making explosives, as well as content related to suicide, drugs, and other prohibited topics.
Roskomnadzor stated that due to Wikipedia’s failure to remove the content, enforcement measures are in place against the platform. In particular, search engines are still required to label Wikipedia as a violator of Russian law in search results. These measures were first applied to the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. back in 2022.
Potential Blocking of Wikipedia in Russia
Back in March 2024, Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, wrote on his Telegram channel that Wikipedia could be blocked in Russia under the new law banning the promotion of VPNs. He noted that colleagues from “Runiversal” had pointed out the existence of a Wikipedia article that not only describes ways to bypass blocks but also strongly recommends users to use them, which, according to Roskomnadzor, meets the criteria for a violation. Gorelkin added that the regulator has several other complaints, many of which have already resulted in court decisions. He stated that there are legal grounds for blocking Wikipedia, and the only challenge is to do so without causing significant inconvenience to users. According to him, all valuable information from Wikipedia has already been duplicated, brought in line with encyclopedic standards, and published on Russian platforms such as the “BRE” portal, “Ruviki,” and “Runiversal.” He suggested that users clicking on a Wikipedia article link should be redirected to a safe version on one of these Russian alternatives.
However, experts interviewed by Vedomosti say that, as of now, Wikipedia has no full-fledged alternatives and remains an “irreplaceable resource.” They argue that blocking it entirely is not only illogical but also pointless.