Russian streaming platform censors foreign shows amid broader cultural crackdown

An investigation by independent media outlet Mediazona revealed that Russian streaming service Amediateka censored nearly half of its foreign television series to comply with domestic laws. Censorship teams excised over 7,300 scenes totaling more than 75 hours of footage across roughly 200 shows. Content removals targeted topics including non-traditional sexual relations, substance abuse, suicide, and incest, in some cases eliminating central plotlines from series like Game of Thrones.

The media cuts reflect broader state efforts targeting Western cultural influences. A Russian court recently banned the romance novel Heated Rivalry for promoting non-traditional sexual relations. Additionally, secondary schools in Novosibirsk received new educational materials framing the military campaign in Ukraine as honorable, attacking Western values, and explicitly equating homosexuality with criminal behavior.

Sources: Mediazona, NEXTA, The Insider, Verstka.