May 18, 2022
Russia’s digital development minister confirmed on Wednesday that the country won’t block the video streaming platform Google.
“We are not planning to close YouTube. Above all, when we restrict something, we should clearly understand that our users won’t suffer,” said Maksut Shadaev.
Shadaev noted that competition is the engine of progress, and blockades are an extreme measure.
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has triggered an open war between Russia and the major technology companies, with many companies shutting down, while others have left.
Social media platforms such as Meta and the search engine Google sanctioned the Russian government for its activities in Ukraine. This forced the Russian government to take action against these companies by restricting their access.
In early March, Russia restricted access to Twitter and Meta Platform’s Facebook, and Instagram. In April, Russia vowed to punish Google for blocking Russian state-funded media around the world on YouTube and accused it of spreading fake news about Russia’s activities in Ukraine.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.
