Estonia closed access to Russian TV channels on the Internet

The Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) has restricted access to 53 websites broadcasting Russian TV channels. About it reported in the press service of the department.

“TTJA has informed ISPs of 53 domains through which TV channels banned in the European Union can be viewed,” the report says. The press service noted that the department continues to monitor TV channels and websites, the distribution of which in the country “must be stopped due to international sanctions.”

TTJA CEO Christy Talving said that the mention of Russian channels as an important source of information has dropped to 11%, from 33% in a year. Trust in them fell by 22 p.p. – before 18%. Talving stressed that broadcasting of 50 Russian TV channels has already been banned in Estonia and access to 80 domains has been restricted.

Plans to close access to Russian channels in Estonia were announced in early March. Then the representative of TTJA Helen Rohtlu said that the country cannot restrict access to all Russian TV channels, as 40% of Estonians continue to watch them via the Internet.

On March 9, the press service of the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission (LKRTV) also informedthat Internet providers will have to restrict access to the IP addresses of the TV channels Russia 1, Russia 24, RTR Planet, NTV and Channel One within five working days. This is happening against the backdrop of sanctions that have been imposed on channels by the European Union.