By increasingly restricting access to more secure Western social platforms, the Russian regime is trying to create a culture of fear among those who might become its critics.
Points of attention
- Restricting access to Western social networks in Russia is aimed at creating a culture of fear among critics of the regime.
- Russian authorities facilitate monitoring of dissidents and promote self-censorship by restricting private communication.
- The Russian government is restricting the functioning of WhatsApp to fight opposition activists.
- A possible complete ban on YouTube in Russia confirms the authorities' attempts to control the country's information space.
Russia restricts Western social networks to create a "fear culture"
The Ministry of Defense of Great Britain reports this on the X social network regarding intelligence data.
With the recent ban on independent media and restrictions on other reliable means of communication, this represents an acceleration of a long-term trend of increased government control over access to media and information in Russia. These restrictions on access to social networks are likely aimed at ensuring that the Russian population can only have access to media that spread the narratives of the authorities.
By limiting access to more secure means of private communication, the authorities make it easier to monitor potential dissidents and create a culture of fear and self-censorship among those who might become critics of the regime.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine — 18 July 2024.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 18, 2024
Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/JuT4LFfiBA#StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/wo5QETN0Qu
It is noted that the Russian government initiated additional restrictions on the use of digital telecommunications in Russia.
In particular, on July 12, a member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Anton Nemkin, stated in an interview that the Russian authorities began to slow down traffic in the encrypted WhatsApp messaging application.
The public explanation for this step sounds like "restricting the communication capabilities of extremist groups." As defined by the Russian government, this likely also includes limiting the ability of opposition activists and those opposed to the war in Ukraine to organise and communicate.
In addition, on July 12, Russian independent media reported that the disruptions in the online video platform YouTube were caused by the Russian government's deliberate traffic slowdown.
It is reported that the Kremlin may block YouTube altogether in September 2024. YouTube is quite popular in Russia and is used by opposition activists, including Alexei Navalny, to spread criticism of the Russian government.
SHAMAN complains about blocked YouTube channel
Russian artist-propagandist Yaroslav Dronov (aka Shaman) complained that his YouTube channel was blocked. He believes that the reason is that "he is a Russian".
His "adherents" suggest switching to RuTube, a Russian YouTube clone sponsored and supported by the Russian government.
Among the persons who the EU has sanctioned, there are accounts on YouTube of performers Oleg Gazmanov, Mykola Rastorguyev (band "Lyube"), Grigory Leps, Yulia Chicherina, Yaroslav Dronov (akaShaman), Polina Gagarina, and actor Vyacheslav Manucharov.
Earlier, the music streaming platform Spotify announced the removal of the profiles of the mentioned artists.
Lithuanian law provides that the LRTK can impose fines on legal entities that violate international sanctions of up to EUR 50,000 or more if the violation continues. If YouTube does not remove the accounts, LRTK plans to take legal action.
