Roskomnadzor’s action blocked access to the Spread The Sign international dictionary of world sign languages by restricting entry to spreadthesign.com. This move effectively makes the service unavailable to users attempting to reach the site from networks governed by the blocking order.
Details from Roskomnadzor about when the block began or the precise rationale for the restriction have not been publicly disclosed. Official records, however, indicate that access to the resource was limited for users within Russia, complicating the ability of residents to explore the platform’s content.
The database originally launched in 2006 with six sign languages from different regions. Over time, the project expanded significantly, now listing more than 400 thousand gestures across 44 languages, including Russian, broadening the reach of sign language resources to a global audience.
Spread The Sign operates beyond a website; a companion app extends accessibility, bringing the library of sign language gestures to mobile devices worldwide. The platform’s current catalog exceeds 610,000 videos, illustrating a wide spectrum of sign languages to learners, educators, and Deaf communities alike.
The mission behind the project is to render sign language knowledge universally accessible, allowing people from any country with internet access to learn and communicate. The initiative is managed by the European Sign Language Centre, a non-profit organization based in Örebro, Sweden, which coordinates resources, partnerships, and outreach to support sign language users globally.
In the broader political landscape, there have been discussions about similar restrictions affecting major reference sources within Russia, with debates touching on potential blocks of widely used platforms under evolving legislation. This context underscores ongoing conversations about information access, digital rights, and the availability of linguistic resources for sign language communities around the world. Community researchers and advocacy groups continue to monitor policy developments and advocate for open access to educational tools and language resources for all users.