Spotify to suspend operations in Russia following new censorship law

Music streaming platform Spotify has suspended operations in Russia amid the country's invasion of the Ukraine. Spotify follows the lead of other companies that have ceased services in Russia largely due to legislation passed by Moscow that threatens to incarcerate accessories to the dissemination of "fake" news.

According to Variety, Russia represents less than 1% of Spotify's subscription and ad revenue.

"Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try and keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information in the region," a company spokesperson said (via Yahoo! Finance). "Unfortunately, recently enacted legislation further restricting access to information, eliminating free expression, and criminalizing certain types of news puts the safety of Spotify’s employees and possibly even our listeners at risk."

Spotify joins news organizations such as CNN, the BBC, and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation who have all ceased operations following Moscow's new law. Spotify expects the suspension to take full effect by early April.