Duolingo Faces Investigation Over Alleged “LGBT Propaganda” by Russian Media Regulator
Table of Contents
The popular language-learning program Duolingo is the subject of an inquiry by Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor, a move that highlights the government’s growing control over LGBTQ+ content in the nation. The investigation was started, according to TASS, the official news agency of Russia, by accusations made by the human rights organization Radatel, situated in Novosibirsk, against the American app, saying it was spreading “LGBT propaganda.”
Sentences like “Ben and Peter love each other” that appear in the Duolingo program are the subject of the dispute. Critiques such as “They are gay” and “Clara met her wife Maria at a lesbian bar” have been made. According to Radatel, this kind of content is against Article 5 of the Federal Law “On the Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development,” which states that it is detrimental to children’s welfare to promote non-traditional sexual interactions.
This probe is a part of a larger framework of societal and legal issues that the LGBTQ+ population in Russia is facing. It is not an isolated incident. The Russian government has passed a number of laws in an effort to limit LGBTQ+ visibility and rights in recent years. Notably, the State Duma extended to adults the prohibition on “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors” enacted in 2013, with severe penalties for infractions. This expansion took place in 2022.
Furthermore, LGBTQ+ activities are practically prohibited in Russia as a result of the Supreme Court’s December 2023 ruling designating the “international LGBT movement” as an extremist group. The 2020 constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a partnership between a man and a woman and this action highlight the legal obstacles that the LGBTQ+ population in Russia faces.
Russia has resisted the European Court of Human Rights’ request that it acknowledge same-sex unions. The Russian government argues that it is still in the early phases of LGBTQ+ rights societal development, implying a reluctance to implement more inclusive policies.
In summary
Roskomnadzor’s probe into Duolingo over purported “LGBT propaganda” brings attention to the ongoing fight in Russia for LGBTQ+ rights. The nation’s enforcement and expansion of laws limiting LGBTQ+ content and activities are expected to draw increased international criticism and calls for reform. The investigation’s conclusion may have wider ramifications for LGBTQ+ rights and digital material in Russia, indicating the government’s position on information management and upholding traditional values in the digital era.
FAQ
- What spurred Roskomnadzor’s probe against Duolingo?
- The investigation was started in response to claims made by the human rights organization Radatel that Duolingo was using its language-learning materials to propagate “LGBT propaganda.”
- Which laws do the accused claim the content on Duolingo violates?
- The Federal Law “On the Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development,” which forbids the advertising of non-traditional sexual interactions to minors, claims that the content violates Article 5.
- What more extensive legal actions has Russia taken in opposition to LGBTQ+ rights and content?
- Russia has revised its constitution to rigidly define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, banned LGBTQ+ activities by branding the global LGBT movement as radical, and expanded its 2013 law prohibiting “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” to include adults.
- What response has Russia received from throughout the world regarding LGBTQ+ rights?
- Human rights organizations in particular have urged for the removal of these restrictive restrictions and have widely condemned them.
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