The Curtain Falls: Russia’s YouTube Ban and Its Impact on Society

[Social Media]

 

In a move that has sent shockwaves across the digital landscape of Russia, the Kremlin has begun shutting down access to YouTube, one of the last remaining platforms where independent voices could still be heard. The decision, while not entirely unexpected, has profound implications for a nation that has increasingly found itself isolated from the rest of the world, both culturally and politically.

 

The timing of this move is telling. On August 11, 2024, the Olympic closing ceremony in Paris captivated the world, including many Russians who, despite the ongoing war with Ukraine and the new Cold War proclaimed by the Kremlin, were eager to watch the global event. The ceremony, which featured Hollywood star Tom Cruise descending from the top of the Stade de France to take the Olympic flag from gymnast Simone Biles, was particularly poignant for Russians due to their historic affection for Paris, a sentiment that dates back to the 19th century.

 

Yet, due to the harsh reality of international sanctions and the isolationist policies of their government, Russian viewers had no official means of watching the event. Instead, millions turned to YouTube, as they have done for years. For people like 70-year-old Elena from Moscow, YouTube was a lifeline. She managed to catch most of the ceremony on her iPad, albeit with some delay, and it brought her a sense of connection to a world that is increasingly out of reach for many Russians.

 

But almost immediately after the ceremony, the access that Elena and millions of others enjoyed was cut off as the Kremlin moved to block YouTube across the country. For Elena, who lacks the technical know-how to navigate around the restrictions with a VPN, this marked the end of her access to a window on the world.

 

This crackdown on YouTube has been in the works for years. Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, simply cannot tolerate the existence of a platform that offers contradictory and widely available sources of information in an increasingly despotic state. This is not the first time the Kremlin has sought to control the flow of information to its citizens. In the early 2000s, television was seen as a powerful tool of mass communication, and the government kept it tightly under control as it was the most popular media and entertainment platform in the country.

 

However, the landscape began to shift in the spring of 2017. That year, protests erupted across many Russian cities, sparked in part by a video about the corruption of then-Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev. The video, produced by opposition leader Alexey Navalny's team, was posted on YouTube and watched over 20 million times. It galvanized a new generation of protesters, including teenagers, who took to the streets in unprecedented numbers. Suddenly, Russian-speaking YouTube had gone political, with well-known bloggers producing heavily political content and opposition politicians becoming some of the platform's most popular figures.

 

As YouTube's influence grew, the influence of traditional television began to wane. By 2019, for the first time in Russian history, online advertising revenue overtook that of television. TV ad spending increased by 9% to 187 billion rubles ($2.1 billion), while Internet ad spending surged by 22% to 203 billion rubles. The shift was unmistakable, and even mainstream journalists began migrating to YouTube, a trend that was only accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdowns, the demand for Russian-language content on YouTube skyrocketed.

 

By the time the pandemic struck, the Kremlin had already been working for two years on a new censorship system designed to deal with the perceived threat posed by YouTube. This system, known as the Sovereign Internet, was composed of several elements. The first involved providing Russian Internet service providers with special equipment that allowed censors to suppress and redirect traffic across the country from a central point in Moscow. 

 

As the situation evolves, the impact on Russian society and the response of the nearly 100 million users who relied on YouTube will be critical to watch, as it could lead to further resistance against the government's tightening grip on information.

 

Credit: CEPA  2024-08-21

 

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

[KhunLA]

Makes sense, as most content is anti RU.

 

USA isn't much different, as they censor so much of the content, on most all platforms.  Add Google to that also.   Amazing what is scrubbed from G search also, which I've seen and knew was there before.

 

Doing your 'own research' is next to impossible of late.

 

Just about all info is controlled now, all platforms.  X being the last fairly open platform, without govt censorship.

 

So much misinformation on the internet, I really don't bother much any more.  Which is fine by me, as more quality time with wife & dog.

 

[Enoon]

8 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Makes sense, as most content is anti RU.

 

USA isn't much different, as they censor so much of the content, on most all platforms.  Add Google to that also.   Amazing what is scrubbed from G search also, which I've seen and knew was there before.

 

Doing your 'own research' is next to impossible of late.

 

Just about all info is controlled now, all platforms.  X being the last fairly open platform, without govt censorship.

 

So much misinformation on the internet, I really don't bother much any more.  Which is fine by me, as more quality time with wife & dog.

 

 

Do you live in the USA?

 

Come to the lovely UK where you can watch as much "Russia Today" on the internet as you want.

 

However it is, obviously, the "MSN" of Russia......so perhaps you wouldn't like it that much.

 

Because all MSN is bad.......yes?

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

10 minutes ago, Enoon said:

Do you live in the USA?

 

Come to the lovely UK where you can watch as much "Russia Today" as you want.

 

However it is, obviously, the MSN of Russia......so perhaps you wouldn't like it that much.

 

Because all MSN is bad.......yes?

Left 24 years ago, when the USA started invading & occupying sovereign countries for no reason, except profiteering.  That was inevitable (war was coming) when Pres cheney got appointed.  The rest is history, and embarrassing at that.

 

Great country, crap govt & special interest groups pushing their PC agenda.

 

RTnews is the only one I read, with large grain of salt of course, but much better than MSM.  MSM is just an insult to your intelligence.  And yes, it' ALL bad 

 

IMHO, don't think anything has actually changed, since I was a youngin', and use to watch the BS & lies spewed about the Vietnam War.  Just 50+ years of the same BS.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

14 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Makes sense, as most content is anti RU.

 

USA isn't much different, as they censor so much of the content, on most all platforms.  Add Google to that also.   Amazing what is scrubbed from G search also, which I've seen and knew was there before.

 

Doing your 'own research' is next to impossible of late.

 

Just about all info is controlled now, all platforms.  X being the last fairly open platform, without govt censorship.

 

So much misinformation on the internet, I really don't bother much any more.  Which is fine by me, as more quality time with wife & dog.

 

But we can concur the removal of youtube is a massive blow to freedom of speech and freedom of choice for Russians. If you are serious about you claim it might be helpful and interesting if you can you document the type of stuff that you say has been on the internet but has now been scrubbed from google in the west. 

[MicroB]

15 minutes ago, Enoon said:

 

Do you live in the USA?

 

Come to the lovely UK where you can watch as much "Russia Today" on the internet as you want.

 

However it is, obviously, the "MSN" of Russia......so perhaps you wouldn't like it that much.

 

Because all MSN is bad.......yes?

 

 

 

 

GDPR meams that many US regional affiliates, and sites like Yahoo Japan, will block content from being viewed in Europe, including the UK.

 

Watching RT is a bit like those who used to tune into Radio Moscow during the Cold War in the belief that it gave some sort of balance to Radio 4, the World Service, VoA etc. It didn't of course.

 

[KhunLA]

Just now, Fat is a type of crazy said:

But we can concur the removal of youtube is a massive blow to freedom of speech and freedom of choice for Russians. If you are serious about you claim it might be helpful and interesting if you can you document the type of stuff that you say has been on the internet but has now been scrubbed from google in the west. 

What's the point, it's not there, as you'll surely ask me for proof or a link.  Then 10 posts will follow, all negative.

 

I don't play those games any more.

 

Have a nice day.

[Mason45]

Maybe Thailand should consider banning YouTube, I see these idiots every day on my morning walk watching some Thai soapy while riding their motor bikes. When they walk they are so absorbed by the same type of programs that they walk straight into others. My wifes grand son was a really good student and well behaved. Once YouTube got hold of him he's now a total moron. I warned her. Just put it down to a lack of parental guidance of which Thais are famous for,

[JonnyF]

Censorship is increasing globally unfortunately.

 

It looks like X/Twitter will be banned by the EU if they don't submit to left wing ideology pronto.

 

Fortunately Russia has far less people being arrested for social media posts than the UK so the Russians can at least be thankful they don't have Starmer in charge. 

[Gweiloman]

A nation that has increasingly found itself isolated from the rest of the world, both culturally and politically.

 

Why does western media keep claiming this ridiculous statement? Only some western countries have isolated themselves from Russia. Last time I checked, plenty of world leaders are visiting Russia and many are looking forward eagerly to the next BRICS summit In October.

 

And what does isolated culturally even mean?

[Gweiloman]

There is so much misinformation and disinformation on social media nowadays that I can understand why governments are taking such actions. The EU threatened to shut down X if Musk aired his interview with Trump, the UK threatens jail for anyone retweeting any posts they deem unacceptable, the US wants to shut down TikTok because it’s parent company is Chinese, China banned FB or YT (can’t remember which. Maybe both even) because FB/YT refuses to comply with China’s conditions…

 

However, this doesn’t mean removal of freedom of speech. Freedom of speech means you can express your opinions. It does not mean that you can spread disinformation or lies. If left unchecked, this can cause the destruction of the social fabric of society. Cases in point was when the New York Post first reported Trump’s shooter as a Chinese and some other channel reported the Southport stabbed as a refugee. Look what subsequently followed, especially in the UK.

[novacova]

4 hours ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

But we can concur the removal of youtube is a massive blow to freedom of speech and freedom of choice for Russians.

Freedom of speech on YouTube? You’re kidding yourself, right? 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

4 minutes ago, novacova said:

Freedom of speech on YouTube? You’re kidding yourself, right? 

In life sometimes you have to differentiate between what is perfect and what is better. Youtube may not be perfect as a place for free speech but it's much much better that it is there - and you can pretty much say most things -  than having it banned by your government. So I hope you concur too it is a significant thing that is being discussed here and whether youtube is perfect in its rules and regulations is a different topic.  

[KhunLA]

37 minutes ago, novacova said:

Freedom of speech on YouTube? You’re kidding yourself, right? 

Yep, covid proved that, even to a blind person, as they took down all the warnings.   Many from medical professionals & virologist.   

 

Lots of factual stuff about the test, vaccine (safe & effective ) mask BS, and more importantly, the dangers of spike proteins.

 

Literally killed and still killing people .... IMHO

[Patong2021]

46 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

A nation that has increasingly found itself isolated from the rest of the world, both culturally and politically.

 

Why does western media keep claiming this ridiculous statement? Only some western countries have isolated themselves from Russia. Last time I checked, plenty of world leaders are visiting Russia and many are looking forward eagerly to the next BRICS summit In October.

 

And what does isolated culturally even mean?

 

Russia is isolated. Where did Russians go for affordable and interesting holidays, do business and  launder their money prior to the Ukraine invasion?   They romped about the UK, Europe and the USA especially California and Florida. They vacationed in the Caribbean too.  Now they only visit a small number of countries. Sure they could always visit  North Korea, or Congo, but the Russians want holidays, not hassles or an exotic disease.

The numbers don't lie. Day trips to Finland were 1.2 million.  Trips to southern Spain 1.3 million. The Baltic countries also exceeded 1 million and so on.   Yes, the Russians still go on holiday, but they are going to 2nd choice destinations, with Turkey their number 1 destination, followed by Thailand, the Maldives,  Egypt and UAE.  6 million Russians  in total visited Turkey in the past year. That and Thailand is their affordable tourist destination.   It  is sort of slim pickings. A Dutch kid can travel the world. Japanese travelers can go anywhere they want, but Russians are  somewhat limited because of cost constraints too.

 

And as for Brics, give it a rest. China and India can't stand each other.  The reality is that  the USD will be  around for many more years. The trend will not be  to a Brics currency, but a basket of  currencies that all share a common characteristic:  Financial systems integrity, stability and transparency. That means USD, UK Pound, Euro, CAD, AUD, NZD,  SIND with Japanese Yen and Korean Won and some Gulf state currencies eventually being included. No one really trusts the Chinese or Indians when it comes to  financial integrity and Brazil and South Africa are corrupt.

 

 

 

[Patong2021]

44 minutes ago, novacova said:

Freedom of speech on YouTube? You’re kidding yourself, right? 

 

There  are a lot of false and reprehensible items posted to  youtube. Some of the  items promoting violence  and hate are sometimes removed. Is that a bad thing?

 I used to watch Russian vehicle collision videos. They were abundant  because the Russians have a fondness for dashcams. The Russians aren't uploading the entertainment anymore because they cannot  collect the revenue from their monetization of the videos.

[novacova]

27 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Youtube may not be perfect as a place for free speech but it's much much better that it is there - and you can pretty much say most things - 

Suppression of civil speech by any measure autocratic. Any entity restricting thought is counter productive to progress in a free world. Free speech is simply questions and answers, opinions and beliefs and as time progresses the masses discover what works best through ingenuity, creativity and experience. The core of capitalism is free speech, can’t have one without the other and any infringement on that principle is disruptive and counterproductive. That includes YouTube google AN and just about every other platform.

[Gweiloman]

18 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Russia is isolated. Where did Russians go for affordable and interesting holidays, do business and  launder their money prior to the Ukraine invasion?   They romped about the UK, Europe and the USA especially California and Florida. They vacationed in the Caribbean too.  Now they only visit a small number of countries. Sure they could always visit  North Korea, or Congo, but the Russians want holidays, not hassles or an exotic disease.

The numbers don't lie. Day trips to Finland were 1.2 million.  Trips to southern Spain 1.3 million. The Baltic countries also exceeded 1 million and so on.   Yes, the Russians still go on holiday, but they are going to 2nd choice destinations, with Turkey their number 1 destination, followed by Thailand, the Maldives,  Egypt and UAE.  6 million Russians  in total visited Turkey in the past year. That and Thailand is their affordable tourist destination.   It  is sort of slim pickings. A Dutch kid can travel the world. Japanese travelers can go anywhere they want, but Russians are  somewhat limited because of cost constraints too.

 

And as for Brics, give it a rest. China and India can't stand each other.  The reality is that  the USD will be  around for many more years. The trend will not be  to a Brics currency, but a basket of  currencies that all share a common characteristic:  Financial systems integrity, stability and transparency. That means USD, UK Pound, Euro, CAD, AUD, NZD,  SIND with Japanese Yen and Korean Won and some Gulf state currencies eventually being included. No one really trusts the Chinese or Indians when it comes to  financial integrity and Brazil and South Africa are corrupt.

 

 

 

You are merely confirming my point that Russia is isolated only from a few western countries, primarily US, UK and Europe. This loss of tourism revenue is another country’s gain.

 

As for BRICS, it doesn’t matter whether China and India can stand each other or not. India is extremely envious of China but there is nothing they can do about it. Corruption, the caste system and a host of other factors will continue to hold India back economically. Nevertheless, it makes good economic sense for these countries to work together. BRICS is already more relevant than the G7 and will continue to grow in strength and numbers as the model is based on fairness and equality as opposed to hegemony.

 

The USD will undoubtedly be around for many more years but the continued weaponisation will slowly but surely erode confidence in it. It also makes more sense for two countries to deal directly in its own currencies without the need to involve a 3rd currency. I don’t think BRICS has any intention of having its own currency either. A common currency among uncommon countries makes no sense. Look at how the value of the Euro has declined since its inception.

 

As for whether anyone trusts China or India, neither of these countries have confiscated another countries assets, afaik.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

 

There  are a lot of false and reprehensible items posted to  youtube. Some of the  items promoting violence  and hate are sometimes removed. Is that a bad thing?

 

The question then becomes who gets to decide what constitutes hate and violence (and misinformation in general.)?

 

Seems like anything that doesn't pander to a thin slice of humanity is subject to be taken down or hidden by that thin slice, who have wedged themselves into academia, the MSM and social media overseers.

 

Like the ones that can't define a woman.

 

[ballpoint]

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

The ceremony, which featured Hollywood star Tom Cruise descending from the top of the Stade de France to take the Olympic flag from gymnast Simone Biles, was particularly poignant for Russians due to their historic affection for Paris, a sentiment that dates back to the 19th century.

No doubt it was poignant for Putin too, as he dreams of descending on countries and taking their flags.

 

 

[pacovl46]

Great! Deprive them of everything they have. I'm sure they're gonna love you for it! 

[johng]

5 hours ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Youtube may not be perfect as a place for free speech but it's much much better that it is there - and you can pretty much say most things -

Try  Rumble,Odysee and Bitchute  where you can pretty much say most things.

Youtube  unfortunately captured and curated in one certain direction.

[fotofinish]

14 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Makes sense, as most content is anti RU.

 

USA isn't much different, as they censor so much of the content, on most all platforms.  Add Google to that also.   Amazing what is scrubbed from G search also, which I've seen and knew was there before.

 

Doing your 'own research' is next to impossible of late.

 

Just about all info is controlled now, all platforms.  X being the last fairly open platform, without govt censorship.

 

So much misinformation on the internet, I really don't bother much any more.  Which is fine by me, as more quality time with wife & dog.

 

rubbish.  krembot?

[fotofinish]

14 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Left 24 years ago, when the USA started invading & occupying sovereign countries for no reason, except profiteering.  That was inevitable (war was coming) when Pres cheney got appointed.  The rest is history, and embarrassing at that.

 

Great country, crap govt & special interest groups pushing their PC agenda.

 

RTnews is the only one I read, with large grain of salt of course, but much better than MSM.  MSM is just an insult to your intelligence.  And yes, it' ALL bad 

 

IMHO, don't think anything has actually changed, since I was a youngin', and use to watch the BS & lies spewed about the Vietnam War.  Just 50+ years of the same BS.

lol youre something else..so full of bs kremlin tropes. 

[fotofinish]

9 hours ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

In life sometimes you have to differentiate between what is perfect and what is better. Youtube may not be perfect as a place for free speech but it's much much better that it is there - and you can pretty much say most things -  than having it banned by your government. So I hope you concur too it is a significant thing that is being discussed here and whether youtube is perfect in its rules and regulations is a different topic.  

dont bother trying to find common ground with a current or ex  kremlin paid troll

[KhunLA]

32 minutes ago, fotofinish said:

rubbish.  krembot?

 

28 minutes ago, fotofinish said:

lol youre something else..so full of bs kremlin tropes. 

Wow ... well you certainly told me... 2X.  Very insightful and well thought out rebuttal. 

[Tug]

A sad day for the prospects of change in Russia they deserve better than putin and his criminal meat grinder.this particular thread is an excellent one to sus out the Russians and their sympathizers…..sad for Russia they were making so much progress a few years back.

[Jingthing]

Well, Russians can still use VPNS but most won't especially older people. Also as far as Russian youtube creators with google accounts in Russia, those accounts have been closed, so they are fully demonitized. Only relevant to Russia based youtubers with outside Russia audiences as there has been no monetization inside Russia for a long time. They of course have in Russia alternatives with regime participation for the likes of  Z icon Shaman.

 

 

[Jingthing]

For current updates on these issues check out the NFKRZ and Sanctioned Ivan channels.

[NativeBob]

you can't deny what people want to watch. Period. Big Daddy is just an a**hole. Iron curtain doesn't work in XXI century.

besides, the sales of VPN is booming, never seen it before. 

same time >>> RU officials are posting on FB, Instagram and Twitter [fooking] daily. how do they do it, if those are "banned"?

kids are watching cartoons, ladies are watching cooking shows, we all are watching The Who and The Doors. 

Very small communities will find the way how to overcome it, but why whole nation? 

You do know how much money were invested in promoting videos on Youtube. All wasted. Some restaurants paid $$$ and its gone. What a f**k up!