Russia could be left without Netflix: how big the “damage” is

Russia could soon be without Netflix, the world’s most popular streaming service.

Netflix has chosen not to bow to Russian pressure to broadcast state-owned TV channels. The streaming service confirmed to Variety that it does not intend to broadcast the 20 free state channels required by Russian law, including Channel One, NTV and Spa. Netflix made the decision amid mass media manipulation of the media in the context of the armed conflict against Ukraine.

The law, known in the country as Vitrina TV, requires that audiovisual services with over 100,000 subscribers broadcast these channels. The national regulator Roskomnadzor labeled Netflix as one of these services in December. As the streaming giant has refused to comply, there are fears that he may soon be expelled from Russia.

The Netflix giant doesn’t seem to care much about Russian laws

According to engadged.com, the representatives of the streaming service are fully aware of the consequences to which they are subjected by non-compliance with this Russian law, but they do not seem at all worried about it, being rather prepared to leave Russia. Moreover, the company does not even have employees on the territory of the Russian Federation, so the eventual departure could be executed in a single “button”.

When it comes to the number of subscribers in Russia, even here it would not be too much “damage”, since the total number is around 1 million. It should be noted that the population of this country amounts to 144.1 million citizens.

It should be noted that Netflix is ​​not the only company to react to this. Microsoft, Meta and Google, in turn, have restricted Russian publications such as Russia Today or Sputnik because of the amount of industrial propaganda. It seems that the giants are not afraid to impose their point of view, against Russia’s official position, in the light of the latest events targeting the neighboring country, Ukraine.