Is Russia Trying to Shut Down Netflix?
by EG
Netflix continues operating its online streaming service in Russia despite a new law limiting foreign ownership of online video services, which came into effect this weekend.
The law stipulates that foreign ownership of online video services operating in Russia is limited to 20 percent stakes, but on Monday, Netflix's service in the country was still running without interruption or signs of being shut down.
Netflix and the Russian regulator did not immediately comment on the situation, but sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the streaming service would "not be impacted in the near term."
It was not immediately clear why, with observers suggesting Netflix may benefit from some clause in the law. For example, it stipulates that ownership limits apply to services with a daily viewership of over 100,000, but Netflix has so far never revealed how many subscribers it has in Russia.
Read the rest of this article at The Hollywood Reporter.
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