Russia has begun restricting the online video platform YouTube.
According to Russian media such as RT, Aleksandr Khinshtein, chairman of the State Duma's Information Policy Committee, stated on Telegram on the 25th (local time) that "YouTube speeds on desktop computers in Russia will drop by about 40% by this weekend and up to 70% next week."
YouTube is one of the few Western social media platforms accessible in Russia. Since launching the 'special military operation' in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has blocked social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram under the pretext of protecting digital sovereignty.
YouTube has become a channel through which Russian citizens access information that differs from the government’s perspective and hear the voices of anti-government opposition figures, especially in relation to the situation in Ukraine.
Khinshtein explained that this measure is a response to YouTube’s anti-Russian policies. He said it is because YouTube has consistently removed channels of pro-Russian bloggers, journalists, artists, and other public figures who hold views different from the West.
He emphasized, "The reduction in YouTube speed is not aimed at Russian users but is an essential measure targeting foreign resources that still believe they can violate and ignore our laws without punishment."
However, Khinshtein added that the speed will not slow down on mobile devices such as smartphones. He also explained that implementing this measure in the summer is because it is vacation season and a time when people use phones more than computers.
There is also speculation that YouTube could be completely blocked in Russia, similar to other Western social media platforms like Facebook.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
