Last week, the streaming service said it was pausing all future projects and acquisitions in Russia. But now the company is taking an additional step and is shutting down its service in the country entirely. “Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,” a Netflix spokesperson told ZDNet. Meanwhile, TikTok has announced that it will be suspending any livestreaming and new content on its video service “in light of Russia’s new ‘fake news’ law”. According to the Moscow Times, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new law on Friday that bans what the country calls “fake” news about the military. This law will target any statements referring to the invasion of Ukraine as an “invasion”, any attempt to discredit the armed forces, or calls for sanctions on Russia. Those found to be spreading so-called fake news could face up to 15 years in prison. “TikTok is an outlet for creativity and entertainment that can provide a source of relief and human connection during a time of war when people are facing immense tragedy and isolation. However, the safety of our employees and our users remain our highest priority,” the company announced in a tweet. TikTok’s in-app messaging service will not be affected, the company assured. “We will continue to evaluate the evolving circumstances in Russia to determine when we might fully resume our services with safety as our top priority,” TikTok added. Mastercard and Visa also announced on Saturday they were suspending operations in Russia. Both had already blocked multiple financial institutions from using their respective payment networks as directed by regulators globally. Under these latest steps, cards issued by Russian banks are no longer supported by the Mastercard or Visa networks. Plus, any Mastercard or Visa issued outside of the country will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs. “We are compelled to act following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed,” Visa chairman and CEO Al Kelly said in a statement. “We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants and cardholders we serve in Russia. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values.” Further, DXC said it will be exiting Russia completely. “Based on the aggression from the Russian government, we are no longer pursuing business in Russia and have committed to exit this market,” the company stated. The company currently has approximately 4,000 staff in Russia and said it will be supporting them during this period. “Currently, our number one priority is to care for our colleagues in the region. Our dedicated DXC team is working around the clock to provide shelter, financial assistance, health care, and relocation support to our colleagues and their families,” the company said. DXC said it will also double any employee donations to the Red Cross humanitarian efforts, which includes providing direct financial support to impacted colleagues. “We will continue to assess the situation and take the required measures leveraging the strength of our global team to help minimise any impact on our DXC colleagues and customers,” the company said.
