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Instagram gives in to Russian censors

Russia's communications regulator has demanded that Instagram posts and an opposition video be removed from YouTube.

Nicholas Tufnell Associate Editor
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Instagram has removed Navalny's video.

Alexei Navalny.

Instagram has removed a video posted by Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny following pressure from the country's communications regulator.

The video shows deputy prime minister Sergei Prikhodko meeting with wealthy Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska on a yacht populated with models and escorts.

"Instagram decided to comply with Russian illegal censorship requests and deleted some content about oligarch Deripaska," said Navalny in a tweet. "Shame on you, @instagram!"

Russia's internet censor has also demanded the video be removed from YouTube, but the company has yet to do so.

A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, confirmed in an emailed statement that it had decided to comply with Russia's demands.

"When governments believe that something on the Internet violates their laws, they may contact companies and ask us to restrict access to that content. We review such requests carefully in light of local laws and where appropriate, we make it unavailable in the relevant country or territory," said Facebook's spokesperson.