Russia - August 2024

On 9 August, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor), blocked the encrypted messaging app Signal inside the country, saying it violated Russian legislation against terrorism and extremism. The state also progressively “throttled” YouTube in August – not legally banning or blocking the site but limiting the site’s internet bandwidth and making it impossible to use. YouTube was the last remaining significant Western social network or platform available in the country. While both services can still be accessed in some capacity using virtual private networks (VPNs) or technical workarounds, the blocks mark the end of their status as online cultural phenomena that were not under the direct control of or closely surveilled by the Russian state.

Sources: Meduza, Reuters, CEPA

UPDATE: YouTube access was suddenly restored on 15 November. The circumstances of and reason for the reversal remain unclear. Russian ministries have insisted for months that problems with YouTube were the result of inferior Google infrastructure in the country. 

Sources: Meduza (1), Meduza (2), Reuters, CEPA,