Russian Netflix users are suing the streaming company for suspending its service as a result of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Netflix, which has only about 1 million subscribers in Russia, shut down its services in March and stopped developing and acquiring all Russian-made or commissioned TV shows and movies.
The law firm has launched a class action lawsuit against Netflix, which has more than 220 million subscribers worldwide, on behalf of Russian users who believe the decision to block access is a violation of their rights. Subscribers who pay 599-799 rubles a month (£ 5.55- £ 9.26) for access to content, from Bridgerton to Don’t Look Up, want 60 million rubles (£ 560,200) in compensation.
“Today, a law firm representing the interests of Netflix users filed a class action lawsuit against the American service Netflix in the Khamovniki District Court of Moscow,” said the law firm “Chernyshov, Lukoyanov & Partners”, according to a report by RIA Novosti. . “The reason for the lawsuit was a violation of the rights of Russian users due to the unilateral refusal of Netflix to provide services in Russia.
Netflix has not yet responded to a request for comment.
In February, Netflix said it would refuse to broadcast 20 Russian free propaganda channels that service providers were to host under a new law to be introduced on March 1. “Given the current situation, we have no plans to add these channels to our service,” the company said at the time.
In December, Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor added Netflix to its audiovisual register as it reached more than 100,000 subscribers.
Last month, amid the Kremlin’s widespread repression of Western social media, a Russian court banned Facebook and Instagram in the country, calling the parent company of the Meta platforms “extremist.” Access to Facebook and Instagram was restricted earlier this month after Meta confirmed it was easing its policies on hate speech against Russian soldiers and Putin over the war in Ukraine. Meta later said the lighter rules would only apply to people sending messages from Ukraine.
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