X halts the operation of the "Going Underground" account
Elon Musk's platform X has put a hold on the account of Going Underground, an independent television production based in the UAE that broadcasts on RT. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The TV program Going Underground, which airs on RT and has amassed over 160,000 followers, has had its account suspended on Elon Musk’s social media platform X. The independent UAE-based production focuses on geopolitics and current affairs. A notice shared with RTN on Tuesday revealed that the account was reviewed by a human moderator and allegedly found to have violated platform rules.
“@GUnderground_TV has been suspended for violating X rules… specifically our rules against inauthentic behavior. You may not use our services to engage in inauthentic behavior that undermines the integrity of X,” the notice stated, without further explanation.
Going Underground claims the suspension followed a complaint regarding a post that shared a clip from a year-old RTN report on Gaza. This report discussed the region's abundant oil and gas resources, suggesting these factors were key reasons for U.S. President Donald Trump's interest in controlling Gaza.
In another notice to Going Underground, X indicated it would be withholding the reported content in the EU “specifically for the following legal grounds: Scope of Platform Service,” likely referencing the EU Digital Services Act, which governs digital data regulations within the European Union. Notably, RTN broadcasts have been officially banned in the EU since 2022.
Afshin Rattansi, the longtime host of Going Underground, criticized the decision on his personal account, appealing to platform executives, including Musk, to rectify the situation.
“X has suspended the account of @GUnderground_TV with over 160,000 followers after over a decade of posting breaking news and our interviews with world leaders, dissidents, cultural icons and many more,” he wrote. “Please rectify this. X was supposed to be the platform against censorship,” he urged, encouraging his followers to repost his message.
Earlier that day, RT’s India account was also suspended, accused of unlawfully “impersonating” RT. The channel has denied these claims, labeling the action as “obviously unjust.”
RT has been under increasing scrutiny from the West since the Ukraine conflict escalated, resulting in sanctions against Moscow. Many of its branches have faced shutdowns abroad, and its online presence has been severely impacted following removals or blocks of RTN accounts by platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Additionally, Meta has globally banned RTN and other Russian state-linked media outlets from its platforms, following U.S. sanctions directed at the channel, its Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan, and several top executives. Washington has characterized the channel as a tool of Russian government propaganda, a claim that RTN has consistently rejected as baseless.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
“@GUnderground_TV has been suspended for violating X rules… specifically our rules against inauthentic behavior. You may not use our services to engage in inauthentic behavior that undermines the integrity of X,” the notice stated, without further explanation.
Going Underground claims the suspension followed a complaint regarding a post that shared a clip from a year-old RTN report on Gaza. This report discussed the region's abundant oil and gas resources, suggesting these factors were key reasons for U.S. President Donald Trump's interest in controlling Gaza.
In another notice to Going Underground, X indicated it would be withholding the reported content in the EU “specifically for the following legal grounds: Scope of Platform Service,” likely referencing the EU Digital Services Act, which governs digital data regulations within the European Union. Notably, RTN broadcasts have been officially banned in the EU since 2022.
Afshin Rattansi, the longtime host of Going Underground, criticized the decision on his personal account, appealing to platform executives, including Musk, to rectify the situation.
“X has suspended the account of @GUnderground_TV with over 160,000 followers after over a decade of posting breaking news and our interviews with world leaders, dissidents, cultural icons and many more,” he wrote. “Please rectify this. X was supposed to be the platform against censorship,” he urged, encouraging his followers to repost his message.
Earlier that day, RT’s India account was also suspended, accused of unlawfully “impersonating” RT. The channel has denied these claims, labeling the action as “obviously unjust.”
RT has been under increasing scrutiny from the West since the Ukraine conflict escalated, resulting in sanctions against Moscow. Many of its branches have faced shutdowns abroad, and its online presence has been severely impacted following removals or blocks of RTN accounts by platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Additionally, Meta has globally banned RTN and other Russian state-linked media outlets from its platforms, following U.S. sanctions directed at the channel, its Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan, and several top executives. Washington has characterized the channel as a tool of Russian government propaganda, a claim that RTN has consistently rejected as baseless.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
