The BBC, a British television and radio company, turned to RT with a request for coverage of the law on “safe and sustainable Internet” on the Russian website of the channel.

The British wanted to know why, when telling about this draft law, RT uses the wording “law on reliable internet” or “law on sustainable internet” and does not give one of the main critics' arguments - that Russia can now be allegedly disconnected from the global network from the inside. The Air Force also inquired whether RT had received any instructions on covering this legislative initiative from the Russian authorities.

Word dispute

The law was passed by the State Duma in the third reading on April 16 and six days later approved by the Federation Council. According to the document, in case of threats to the work of the Internet in the territory of the Russian Federation, Roskomnadzor may assume control of the Russian network segment. However, there is no talk about any one-sided isolation of speech, experts polled by RT say. On the contrary, the law is intended to ensure the work of the Internet in Russia, if there are threats to its functioning from the outside.

“Western media are amazed that lawmakers in Russia have become concerned about this issue,” said Alexey Martynov, director of the Institute of Advanced States, in a conversation with RT. “But the law on the Internet is a matter of our national security.” Personal data of the population of the Russian Federation need state protection. Any external intervention in the electronic control system is fraught with disasters and destruction. "

In turn, Dmitry Abzalov, President of the Center for Strategic Communications, noted that laws to protect national segments of the Internet from cyber threats are being taken now in other states, but for some reason, British journalists decided to single out Russia in particular.

“The BBC statement is definitely political. I doubt the BBC sends such requests to China or the United States. There are EU requirements that European Union citizenship data should be processed and monitored only within the EU. This is also an element of the sovereign Internet, ”he said in a conversation with RT Abzalov.

  • Russian State Duma
  • RIA News
  • © Vladimir Fedorenko

The explanatory note to the Russian bill states that the need for it arose because of the US National Cybersecurity Strategy adopted in September 2018. In it, Russia is accused of hacker attacks in the United States and offers to conduct offensive operations in cyberspace.

In February 2019, the American media reported that the Cyber ​​Command of the US Armed Forces conducted a successful operation against the Russian company Internet Investigation Agency on the global network, sending the Russians offline.

The Russian service of the BBC uses the following wording to describe the Russian draft law: “law on the sovereign Internet” and “law on the autonomous Russian Internet”. You can also find phrases on bbc.com in English: “a bill allowing to isolate the Russian segment of the Internet from the rest of the world” and “plans to impose more stringent restrictions on the Internet.”

  • Screenshot from www.bbc.com

Such language is found in the BBC material on the protest in support of freedom on the Internet, which took place in March of this year in Moscow. At the same time, the BBC did not mention that supporters of “freedom of speech” did not allow the crew of RT to attend the rally. The explanation was simple: journalists work in the wrong edition.

RT, covering the bill that has caused much controversy, is based on its official name: “Bill No. 608767-7“ On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Communications” and the Federal Law “On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection” (in terms of ensuring secure sustainable Internet on the territory of the Russian Federation) ”.

At the same time, on the RT website one can also find the phrase “law on the sovereign Internet”. So the claims of the BBC for the wording and speculation about certain "instructions" from the state structures are untenable.

Casus Assange

Meanwhile, the British television and radio company, which stands behind the freedom of the Internet in Russia, gives information about a person who has become a global symbol of this freedom in a rather specific way - about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. RT indicated this in his reply to the BBC request.

“Covering the subject of the arrest of Julian Assange, the BBC uses the wording“ Kremlin puppet ”,“ irresponsible adventurer ”and, apparently, is more interested in the fate of the cat than in Assange himself. Why did you choose such formulations in the headings about Assange? Did you get any installations for covering this topic from the Home Office or from other government agencies? ”RT asked the British.

According to Dmitry Abzalov, Western media are trying to demonstrate that in Russia there is an attack on Internet freedom, and in the West it is free. However, the case of Assange demonstrates the opposite. For many years he was forced to hide in the territory of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London because he revealed the crimes of the US authorities to the whole world.

  • Arrest of Assange
  • RIA News
  • © Ruptly

The arrest of Assange is “a demonstration of double standards,” says Nikita Danyuk, deputy director of the Institute of Strategic Studies and Forecasts of RUDN.

“The West believes that the actions of countries that are not acceptable to it to protect sovereignty are contrary to the norms of democracy and civil rights and freedoms. When questions appear to the West itself, they explain their actions by interests of national security, ”the expert notes.

According to Dmitry Abzalov, the BBC's position on the Assange case reflects the point of view of the British state.

“We must bear in mind that the BBC receives funding from the budget. If the BBC were objective, it would reflect other points of view and positions of other countries, ”the political analyst emphasized.

Soft Power Tool

The BBC, or the British Broadcasting Corporation, is a nationwide organization. Its activities are funded by a special tax from citizens of the United Kingdom - a television license. This tax is paid by all TV owners. From 2018, to £ 150.5 per year. You can not refuse.

  • BBC office
  • Reuters
  • © Paul Hackett

The collected money goes, among other things, to the financing of the multitude of TV channels that have rallied under the “umbrella” of the BBC, radio stations and news sites that broadcast both in the UK and abroad.

The BBC Russian Service is part of the BBC World Service (BBC World Service), which until 2014 was funded by grants from the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Now most of the budget of this structure is covered by fees from UK citizens.

But the decisive word remains with the government: after all, it determines the amount of tax for television viewers, and hence the contributions that go to the budget of the entire BBC. It also sets the bar for BBC World Service funding - at least £ 254 million annually (from 2017). In addition, according to the framework agreement between the British government and the BBC of December 2016, the BBC World Service and the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs discuss their “guidelines, priorities and objectives,” although it is formally independent in its editorial policy.

Despite all the assurances of objectivity, "the BBC was established by the British government and is its derivative," Alexey Martynov emphasizes.

As previously noted by The Guardian, since 2014, the annual budget of the BBC World Service, funded by television license fees, was £ 245 million. In 2015, the BBC reported on government plans to increase funding for the BBC World Service. The goal is to expand broadcasting "in Russia, North Korea, the Middle East and Africa."

This decision was made. It fit into the framework of the UK National Security Strategy released in 2015. In this document, the BBC World Service is mentioned as one of the tools of the British "soft power" abroad.

A British government’s last year’s document titled “National Security Capacity Review” noted that a total of £ 291 million was expected to be invested in the BBC World Service by 2020 to increase access to “verified news and information”. According to the latest BBC annual report (July 2018), the BBC World Service spent £ 268.3 million from funds collected under a television license and £ 70.5 million under a government grant.

Nevertheless, in the Russian segment, the popularity of the Air Force fell. Over the past year, the BBC’s Russian-language services fell by 1 million people: from 3.9 million to 2.9 million.

  • BBC Annual Report Screenshot

The British are also complaining about competition from RT, and globally.

“There has been a steady expansion of the influence of large, state-supported news organizations through the distribution of news via digital platforms,” says the BBC last year. - Al Jazeera, Central Television of China (CCTV) and RT (formerly Russia Today) have vast resources at their disposal. However, despite the high quality of their offered content and services, they reflect a certain worldview and agenda of those who support these organizations. Taking into account the potential influence of the state (news. “ RT ) services from less free countries to international dialogue and event coverage. The significance of the BBC’s global reach for the defense of democracy and freedom is higher than ever.”

According to Nikita Danyuk, the BBC today is “an instrument of the Western propaganda campaign to demonize Russia”. Attempts by the British taxpayer-financed media to catch RT in relations with the Kremlin are ridiculous and caused by the desire to stab successful competitors.

“Western media labels on their opponents,” the expert notes. “Obviously, RT, which during its existence has gained popularity with a global audience, has become an eyesore for the West.”