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Meet YouTube, Putin’s Main Propaganda Tool
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russian authorities have blocked or restricted Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and most other Western social media platforms. But one major video website — YouTube — remains available. Any Russian with an Internet connection can click on YouTube to watch videos of Putin’s lawless aggression as portrayed by CNN, the BBC, the Ukrainian media or even exiled supporters of jailed Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.
Why does YouTube get a special dispensation? Part of the answer is that even before the war, it was the most popular social media platform in Russia. Today, it remains the most recognizable and popular video website. At least three-quarters of Russians active on the Internet use YouTube.
“When we restrict something, we must clearly understand that our users do not suffer. A ban is an extreme move that can be only possible, when we have a competitive alternative,” explained Maksut Shadaev, Putin’s minister for digital development.
But there’s another likely reason Putin is treating YouTube differently — namely, his recognition that for years before he ordered the invasion, YouTube enabled Kremlin-controlled propaganda outlets like RT and Sputnik News to reach millions of viewers in the West.