Russian streaming platforms, publishers, and schools face tighter ideological controls
A Mediazona study reveals extensive streaming censorship in Russia, alongside book bans and new patriotic school curricula.
An investigation by Mediazona revealed that Russian streaming service Amediateka censored nearly half of its foreign series to comply with domestic laws. Over 75 hours of content—spanning more than 7,300 fragments across 200 shows—were removed, targeting topics including LGBT themes, substance use, suicide, and incest. The cuts disrupted central plotlines in several popular series, including Game of Thrones.
In publishing, a Russian court banned the sports romance novel Heated Rivalry, citing illegal depictions of non-traditional sexual relationships.
Simultaneously, educational institutions in Russia have implemented updated patriotic curriculum materials. Reports indicate these materials frame military service in Ukraine as honorable while condemning Western cultural influences.
Sources: Mediazona, NEXTA, The Insider, Verstka.
Sources
- Verstka — Суд запретил в России книгу «Жаркое соперничество», по которой снят одноимённый сериал о любви двух хоккеистов
- NEXTA — Пропаганда в российских школах готовит учеников к смерти
- Mediazona — 75 часов цензуры
- The Insider — Почти половина зарубежных сериалов на «Амедиатеке» подверглась цензуре. Из них вырезали более 75 часов контента — «Медиазона»
Earlier coverage
- Oct 24, 2026, 10:30 PM UTCRussian censorship tightens across streaming, publishing, and schools
- Oct 23, 2026, 11:00 PM UTCRussia deepens content censorship across streaming media, literature, and schools
- Oct 23, 2026, 07:00 PM UTCRussian media, courts, and schools step up censorship and state messaging
- Oct 23, 2026, 05:00 PM UTCRussian platforms, courts, and schools increase censorship and patriotic messaging
- Oct 23, 2026, 11:00 AM UTCRussian media and schools alter content amid strict censorship laws
- Oct 23, 2026, 01:00 AM UTCRussian streaming platforms, courts, and schools enforce strict state censorship rules
- Oct 22, 2026, 07:00 PM UTCRussian media platform censors foreign series amid broader ideological push
- Oct 22, 2026, 11:00 AM UTCRussian censorship targets streaming content, books, and school curricula
- Oct 22, 2026, 01:00 AM UTCRussian streaming services, books, and schools face expanding censorship
- Oct 21, 2026, 05:00 PM UTCRussian platforms, publishers, and schools face expanding state censorship