The Telegram donation bot Tribute, which enables channels to receive recurring donations, has withheld funds from the exiled media project “Volna” following the publication of an LGBT flag image and a tweet comparing the letter “Z” to the Nazi swastika. “Volna” itself reported this restriction. 

Tribute’s support team explained the decision reflects their content monetization policies, which prioritize ethical and moral considerations rather than national laws. Approximately half of “Volna”‘s donations came through Tribute. Earlier on September 8, Tribute also blocked transfers to the “Sopredel” project, which provides aid to residents affected by the Ukraine war in the Belgorod and Kursk regions. 

Tribute, formerly known as @donate, is owned by Kazan businessman Dmitry Eremeev, an acquaintance of Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s family and an investor in Durov’s TON crypto project, though Tribute operates independently from Telegram’s official team.

source: istories.media

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