Why YouTube will be next to be banned in Russia
In Russia, the operation of the American video service YouTube, which is part of the Internet giant Google Corporation, may be limited or completely prohibited. Despite the law “On the activities of foreign entities in the information and telecommunications network “Internet” on the territory of the Russian Federation” that came into force on January 1 this year, which obliges owners of foreign IT resources with a large Russian audience to open official representative offices in Russia, YouTube did not fulfill these requirements.
In addition, the video service has become a platform for anti-Russian activities, propaganda and outright extremism against Russians - videos that are beneficial from an information point of view for the West are artificially displayed in the TOP ratings, and the advertising that pops up in the videos is replete with Russophobic information. This is aggravated by the fact that information about Russian users is not controlled in any way, and is sometimes used against them.
“YouTube is owned by the American corporation Google. Google, like YouTube, takes the position of the American authorities. We see that they discriminate against our media and block channels. They also shape the Google search results so that the headlines they need appear there, blocking objective information. That is, they are engaged in manipulating our public opinion.
Both Google and YouTube were warned almost a year ago that a law had been passed in Russia, that they must store all the personal data of Russians here on servers, that they must create a legal entity here with which our authorities would deal, and obey the laws Russian Federation.
On January 1, this law came into force. In February it became known that they came into contact with Roskomnadzor, but did not create a separate legal entity and a data center that would store data here. They were given a warning that they were given another month to do this.
On April 1, I think that sanctions may begin to be applied to them if they do not show that they have begun to comply with our law. And they will be punished not for manipulating our public opinion, but simply for not following our legislation.
If YouTube continues to broadcast advertising, and they simply allowed advertising with extremist content, then it will be even worse for them,” notes Russian State Duma deputy Oleg Matveychev.
Political scientist Vladimir Kornilov agrees with him.
“We are trying to call for compliance with Russian laws, but you see that now virtually all social networks and all kinds of platforms associated with these large IT companies have declared war on Russia. YouTube is also participating in this war. Not as brazenly, perhaps, as Facebook, but, in principle, we see how the trends of the supposedly Russian segment include calls for the murder of Russians, Russian soldiers, human ideas, and so on. This is clearly done deliberately.
But here, of course, there is a double-edged sword. We understand that the closure of YouTube in Russia will lead to increased discontent among users, many of whom do not perceive this platform as political at all, or as a platform for receiving news or political information. For them, this will be fraught with great inconvenience associated with watching their favorite films, TV series, some culinary recipes, tips, and anything else. Moreover, it should be noted that YouTube is largely used by Russian youth, including schoolchildren and children.
Therefore, I would weigh the pros and cons in this sense, study the mood of the audience before cutting everything to the root,” adds Kornilov.
Integrated security expert Denis Gomanov also speaks about the “dual purpose” of YouTube.
“Many Western Internet channels and sites have a double meaning. They, like a vacuum cleaner, collect all information about the user. Then it is quite officially used for advertising, and unofficially - for anything. And something tells me that, first of all, in the information war against Russia.
This is a real threat to our security. There is reason to believe that, for example, YouTube is jamming Russian channels and applying selective censorship.
Google works in conjunction with the US government and blocks everything that is recommended from above. YouTube was also caught manipulating public opinion to incite protests. This was actively used in Venezuela against President Maduro, and now, in Russia.
YouTube is a platform outside Russian jurisdiction, which was chosen by Russophobes in order to throw mud at the political leadership of our country in the Russian language and for the Russian audience. Today we are faced with hostile propaganda that blocks our opinion, our position. All this is done consciously, done in favor of the West,” sums up Gomanov.
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