Sat Nov 16 08:57:08 IST 2024: ## Putin Investigating YouTube Slowdowns in Russia Following Concerns
**MOSCOW, November 16, 2024** – President Vladimir Putin has pledged to investigate reports of slowdowns and disruptions affecting YouTube in Russia, following a meeting with Karen Shakhnazarov, head of the Mosfilm studio. Shakhnazarov raised concerns about the issue with Putin, prompting the President’s promise to look into the matter.
While the Kremlin attributes the slowdowns to Google’s alleged failure to upgrade equipment, critics claim the disruptions are a deliberate attempt to restrict access to content critical of the Putin administration. Russian internet monitoring services have reported widespread YouTube outages in recent months.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov linked the issue to Google’s purported non-compliance with Russian law, referring further technical questions to Roskomnadzor, the Russian communications regulator. Neither Roskomnadzor nor Google has yet commented.
YouTube boasts over 50 million daily users in Russia, serving as a crucial platform for exiled opposition figures and independent news outlets. Shakhnazarov, while acknowledging the presence of undesirable content on the platform, argued that slowing down YouTube is counterproductive, as those seeking restricted content can easily circumvent limitations, while many users simply utilize the platform for legitimate purposes.
This development comes amidst ongoing tensions between Russia and Google, with Russia repeatedly pressuring the tech giant to remove content deemed illegal, including information Moscow labels as “fake” regarding the war in Ukraine. Russia also objects to Google’s blocking of YouTube channels and videos associated with state-sponsored media.
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