The language learning platform Duolingo has removed references to what the Russian government describes as “non-traditional sexual relations” from its content in Russia, following a warning from the country’s communication regulator, Roskomnadzor. The regulator had accused the company of distributing LGBT content deemed “extremist.”
This action comes in the wake of Russia’s recent efforts to broaden its laws against promoting LGBT ideologies, which President Vladimir Putin has often depicted as a sign of moral decline in the West.
Roskomnadzor had formally notified Duolingo about the potential consequences of including materials that promote non-traditional sexual relations or LGBT themes. In response to these legal constraints, a Duolingo spokesperson stated, “We support LGBTQ+ rights and strive to normalize LGBTQ+ representation in our content. However, local laws prevent us from featuring certain topics in our courses in Russia. Our mission remains to make quality education universally accessible and to ensure our services are available legally worldwide.”
Following this correspondence, Russian media outlets reported that Duolingo confirmed to Roskomnadzor that it had removed the contentious materials from its application.
In addition, Russia has officially labeled the “LGBT movement” as extremist, categorizing supporters as terrorists, which sets the stage for severe legal repercussions against LGBT individuals and their allies.
Violations of Russia’s “LGBT propaganda” laws have led to fines being imposed on various entities, including online movie distributors and company executives.
