Berlin says not involved in barring RT channels on YouTube

The German government was not involved in blocking Russian state-backed broadcaster RT's German-language channels on YouTube, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"It is a decision by YouTube, based on rules created by YouTube, it is not a measure (taken by) the German government or other official organizations," German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert told reporters.

Russia has threatened to block Alphabet Inc.'s YouTube after RT's German-language channels were deleted over COVID-19 misinformation and Moscow said it was weighing possible retaliation against the German media.