Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Counter Disinformation Unit has contacted YouTube to request the removal of videos doctored by the Russian state following the tweet by the Ministry of Defence on 23 March 2022 of their letter that organisation dated 22 March 2022.

YouTube and other major tech companies have policies relating to disinformation, content manipulation, and other relevant harms to their users. HMG is clear that these calls and videos were part of Russian information and influence operation designed to achieve strategic effect to the advantage of the Russian state, by attempting to embarrass HMG, weaken its relationship with its allies, and undermine its support for Ukraine. Following DCMS engagement, YouTube removed the videos from their platform on 25 March 2022 in line with their Terms of Service.