Reddit Is Now Banned in Russia

Well, it looks like they weren’t lying.

After warning that it was considering it, Roskomnadzor, Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, has sent out the order to block reddit.

Apparently, the government is upset over a post about the “cultivation of narcotic plants.”

Officials said they had been trying to get in touch with reddit about removing the offending thread – but didn’t hear back.

Now, according to a tweet from Roskomnadzor, the site is banned:

Страница сайта Reddit отправлена на блокировку операторам связи http://t.co/UOVRA82L9d pic.twitter.com/7bpRAtzglS

— Роскомнадзор (@roscomnadzor) August 12, 2015

From a redditor on r/russia, here’s what they see when they attempt to access reddit via ISP Seven Sky:

Here’s what Roskomnadzor’s original complaint said, via Google translate:

At the request of Federal Drug Control Service is ready to make the registry page of the site reddit, which posted an article on the cultivation of narcotic plants. Notifications to the requirement to remove the information sent to multiple addresses resource, but no response is still not forthcoming, although earlier treatment from us in the administration treated full. We assume that during the August holidays someone is too relaxed, but this should not be a reason to venture readership. Those who have contacts with the administration – ask them to check your mail for letters from Roskomnadzor otherwise due the technical features of a number of operators may block the entire site.

it was assumed that the Russian regulatory agency was referring to a post about pot, but Meduzareports that the thread was actually titled “Minimal and Reliable Methods for Growing Psilocybe [Mushrooms].”