Even though Elon Musk has reinstated thousands of Twitter accounts, users in Russia still won’t be able to access the social media platform in large part. Moscow absolutely blocked access to Twitter in February, as part of a broader effort to disseminate data. after its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
NetBlocks, a virtual defense organization that tracks web outages, first reported that access to the service was limited just days after Russia began its invasion.
Russia also absolutely blocked Facebook in retaliation for the social network’s efforts to impose restrictions on state media. Facebook and its sister platform Instagram dumped media outlets Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik within the European Union (EU) in reaction to the invasion. The move prompted a swift reaction from Russia’s communications regulator, which blocked services.
Although restrictions can be circumvented with a virtual personal network (VPN), most normal users have not yet accessed the services.
“Russia wants the narrative of the war on Ukraine,” said Roger Entner, generation analyst and social media expert at Recon Analytics.
“Allowing the fact that Twitter or any other network that Russia does not control, which would disrupt this false narrative, is not in Russia’s interest,” Entner added.
Unlocking occurs
Now, more than nine months later, access to social media platforms is unlikely to be restored, despite state Duma member Anton Tkachev (of the New People party) calling Andrei Lipov, head of the Federal Communications Surveillance Service, to generate data. and the media within the Russian government, until the lifting of restrictions on Twitter.
“There is no explanation as to why for the disputed appeal,” Russia’s telecoms regulator said in response, according to state media outlet Tass.
Since the war in Ukraine did not go exactly as planned, this may only be Moscow’s resolve to keep an eye on social media, especially since platforms like Twitter were widely used as a communication tool in the 2011 Arab Spring movement.
The Kremlin would possibly see the microblogging service as a platform to spread dissent.
“Twitter has been used to organize opposition to other authoritarian regimes and Putin is one of them,” said Dr. Matthew Schmidt, director of the foreign affairs program at the University of New Haven and senior representative of Blue-Ink. Global.
“It is also a major source of truthful data about the war, which the Kremlin has courageously tried to suppress from its population,” Schmidt explained. “That’s why it followed the Chinese style and created comprehensive options where you control content, like VK. Twitter and Telegram feed each other, generating content for each in a feedback loop. “
Access to social media can make Russian President Vladimir Putin’s narrative very difficult. The Russian leader has already announced that he will not hold his annual year-end press conference, which, according to experts, is due to the fact that he does not need to face difficult questions about the war.
Twitter was about to present a virtual play of Russia’s defeats in Ukraine.
“You can see messages from each and every tank killed and helicopters shot down and, more importantly, videos of what Russian foot soldiers think about the war and their situations and the feeling that their government has abandoned them,” Schmidt said. The messages are a dagger pointing to the center of the Kremlin’s internal propaganda and each and every one exists on Twitter. “