Russian government unveils online form for users to report LGBT content

Russia’s federal censor, Roskomnadzor, has added a form for users to report websites containing content related to LGBTQ+ people or issues to the authorities. On September 2, the agency will begin blocking sites that don’t delete the illegal content within 24 hours of receiving a notification, according to Roskomnadzor deputy head Vadim Subbotin.

“We’ve started receiving reports and complaints. We monitor them ourselves, and expert decisions are made on this basis,” Subbotin said.

Vladimir Putin signed a law outlawing LGBTQ+ “propaganda” in Russia in December 2022. Immediately, bookstores and libraries began removing books that could plausibly fall under the ban from their shelves, while television and video game distributors started removing mentions of same-sex relationships from their content.