Social networks & apps

Kremlin gives Twitter another month to comply with content removal demands

April 7, 2021

Russia’s internet regulator Roskomnadzor has extended the deadline until May 15 for Twitter to delete content the government objects to or face a ban, the watchdog said on April 6. The state information agency said that it would not block Twitter if it deletes posts relating to pornography and suicide instructions amongst other things. However, …

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TikTok fined $34,000 for not removing posts on unauthorized street protests in Moscow

April 7, 2021

A Moscow court has fined TikTok 2.6 million rubles (some $34,000 at the current exchange rate) for refusing to delete information encouraging teenagers to join an unauthorized street protest in Moscow on January 24, TASS reported. At that time, Russian social network aficionados, including millions of teenagers, had transformed TikTok into a digital rebellion hotspot. “Navalny stay alive,” “Putin’s …

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Putin spokesman on Western social media platforms: “We’d like to hope it won’t come to a full ban”

March 30, 2021

While Russian authorities have in recent months ramped up pressure on foreign social media and video hosting platforms, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today he hopes Russia will not be forced to block them. “No one wants a full ban and it would be silly to advocate for one, but it’s necessary to force these …

Putin spokesman on Western social media platforms: “We’d like to hope it won’t come to a full ban” Read More

Dancing in a gym and ‘erotic’ footage from a banya: Putin deep fake videos emerge on TikTok

March 29, 2021

In early December 2020, an anonymous user set up a TikTok channel, called “First Person”, dedicated to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The channel posts deep fake videos of an actor impersonating Putin.  “When you go to a videoconference and don’t have to change out of your sweatpants,” says the caption on the very first video …

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Tinkoff launches AI-powered voice assistant on Clubhouse

March 13, 2021

Tinkoff, the Russian digital banking leader, has integrated its AI-powered voice assistant ‘Oleg’ into Clubhouse — claiming to be the first one in the world to do so. The capabilities of the voice assistant as a “a full-fledged Clubhouse user” are described as follows:  ‘Oleg’ can use its text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities (Tinkoff VoiceKit) in real time to “help …

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Mail.Ru and AliExpress pursue e-commerce integration through multi-platform merchant interface

March 15, 2021

Earlier this month Mail.ru Group and AliExpress Russia achieved yet another step in their e-commerce integration plans with the launch of Multimarket. This single interface allows merchants to manage their sales simultaneously via the AliExpress Russia site and Mail.Ru’s properties — including social networks VK and Odnoklassniki, and classifieds platform Youla. Registered merchants can place …

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Russia restrains Twitter’s speed and sues other social media over illegal content

March 11, 2021

The Russian Internet and telecom regulator Rokomnadzor announced today first steps to disrupt Twitter’s speed within the country for failing to remove banned content. These measures are said to affect  “100% of cellphones and 50% of personal computers” in the country. “Starting March 10, 2021, centralized response measures have been taken against Twitter to protect Russian citizens and force the [social …

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Russian direct sales giant Faberlic acquires Sports.ru to develop vertical communities

March 9, 2021

An investment fund controlled by Alexey Nechaev, the founder of Russian direct sales leader Faberlic, has acquired Sports.ru with affiliated blogging and marketing assets. The amount of the deal was not disclosed.  Sports.ru is a leading Russian-language sports media and community platform. Founded by a journalist in 1998, the platform was sold in 2006 to Herman …

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TikTok overtakes Facebook in social media use in Russia

February 27, 2021

More and more Russians are relying on social networks for information, though most still get their news from television programs, which are under tight government control. According to a poll conducted last month by Levada Center (an independent polling agency which the Russian authorities designate as a “foreign agent”), 42% of Russians named social networks …

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Clubhouse frenzy hits Russia

February 26, 2021

Trendy social media app Clubhouse is seeing an extraordinary surge of interest among Russians as it launched last week in the country.  The social network saw the audience for its audio-chat service increase 20-fold as big brands and top managers from major companies signed up. The former head of Russia’s financial regulators even appealed for Central Bank Governor …

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Russian foreign ministry makes first steps on TikTok to counter teenagers’ digital rebellion

February 9, 2021

After Russian social network aficionados, including millions of teenagers, transformed TikTok into a digital rebellion hotspot, the Russian Foreign Affairs ministry opened an account on the Chinese platform late last week. The first videos displayed in the ministry’s account are meant to mock opposition figure Alexey Navalny, refuting his last year’s claims that the Russian anti-covid …

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Russia to fine social media giants for keeping up pro-Navalny videos

January 28, 2021

Russia will fine seven social media companies for not removing pro-Navalny videos ahead of last Saturday’s nationwide protests, the country’s communications regulator said Wednesday. “Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, VKontakte, Odnoklassniki and YouTube will be fined for non-compliance with requirements to prevent the dissemination of calls to minors to participate in unauthorized rallies,” Roskomnadzor said in …

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