PTS: “Internet service providers should block RT”

As part of EU sanctions against Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, the European Council announced in early March that Russian media outlets Sputnik News and RT, formerly known as Russia Today, would be banned across the Union.

Since then, the Swedish Post and Communications Agency has examined how EU regulations interact with Swedish rules on open internet connections, and on Friday gave the green light: Swedish internet providers can – and should – block RT and Sputnik News websites.

Swedish rules allow exceptions if necessary to meet EU requirements, says Petter Öhrn, a press officer at PTS.

But the message does not imply an automatic Swedish blocking of sites, but the implementation is up to the Internet providers themselves. However, the Swedish Postal and Communications Agency expects to comply with the decisions of the European Union.

– This means that operators are expected to implement this block, says Petter Öhrn.

What does PTS do if the supplier refuses?

– There is nothing we can speculate about now, we assume that everyone follows this regulation.

State-owned Telia tells DN that they are blocking sites and that they have been doing so since yesterday Wednesday. How extensive the blockage is, and if there are technical solutions around it, you don’t want to comment.

It is what is called mandatory law and as a resource we must act accordingly. That is why we block websites included in the EU regulation, says Matthias Borelide of Telia’s press service.

But all ISPs Don’t take regulations lightly. John Carlong, CEO of Bahnhof, is critical of both the EU decision and the agency’s expectations on operator compliance. The company has now requested clarification from PTS.

– Purely spontaneously, it penetrates the body when you hear that filtering and blocking should be introduced, we are against it, he says.

Not that we think it’s a good thing with Russian disinformation and propaganda, but it risks backfiring.

John Carlung believes that the blockade will be met with the same response from Russia, and counteracting the honest dissemination of information from the European Union countries. Censorship cannot be fought with more censorship, he says — the solution is instead to allow people to dig up the information and learn to be critical of the source.

– Set a precedent for Russia to do the same. Truth will not win through an arms race in siege and censorship, that is insane.

He strongly opposes any potential coercion of blocking sites, and says Bahnhof does not plan to follow PTS’ expectations.

We do not intend to introduce any obstacles, of course not. You need to keep two things in mind, it’s not about liking misinformation but dealing with it in other ways, he says.