Nikolai Rybakov: “The idea of restricting YouTube in Russia represents another step into the dark past”
Nikolai Rybakov’s Telegram blog post, 25.07.2024
Photo from social media
The State Duma promised to reduce the download speed of YouTube by 70% in the next two weeks. On stationary computers, the download speed may decrease to 40% by the end of this week, and to 70% by the end of next week. At the same time, this measure will not affect connections via mobile communications. This was reported by State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein.
According to him, this is “a forced step directed against the administration of the resource, which still believes that it can violate and ignore our legislation with impunity”.
The idea of restricting YouTube in Russia represents another step into the dark past.
This is not just a proposal to enhance censorship on the Internet. I would like to remind the authors of this idea that YouTube is an important source of knowledge and anyone who closes the country’s access to it, slows it down, is making Russia lag behind the world and harms the interests of our country. Trying to solve our immediate problems by limiting dozens of millions of people in their ability to receive information and get educated is a crime against the future.
You know that we use our YouTube channels to reach out to our supporters: videos are regularly released on the channel, and live broadcasts are conducted. Often, events are devoted to topics that are not accessible on other information channels. We certainly value our audience on YouTube very much.
At the same time, we will continue to use all possible legal means to convey our position to the citizens of our country. We will use any opportunity to bypass unconstitutional censorship in disseminating information.
Because freedom of speech, freedom to disseminate information is a fundamental value for us. That is why our party advocates not only for peace, but for peace and freedom – in the modern world, they must go together.
NIKOLAI RYBAKOV
is Chairman of the Yabloko party, member of the Federal Political Committee of the party, member of the Yabloko Bureau.
Head of the Yabloko Electoral Headquarters
Posted: July 26th, 2024 under Freedom of Speech, Governance, Human Rights, YABLOKO Against the Parties of Power.