Censorship has expanded beyond political dissent to include themes of "youthful nonconformity" and "immoral lifestyles".
: Banned due to graphic content involving a minor at the time of filming.
The shift toward domestic platforms has also meant a shift in moderation. While VK and RuTube offer vast libraries, they operate under strict compliance with local laws. This means that "uncut" versions are often self-censored by the platforms to avoid heavy fines. The result is a curated version of pop culture where the most controversial or avant-garde elements are scrubbed before they even hit the screen.
: As of September 2025, searching for content deemed "extremist" (which includes many banned music videos) can result in fines for the user, even if they use a VPN.
: Blocked on YouTube within Russia upon government demand. Roskomnadzor (the media watchdog) claimed it contained information about drugs, specifically images of people rolling and smoking cigarettes.
