Moscow (AFP)
Two parallel universes coexist in Russia: the traditional media - in particular television - controlled by the Kremlin and an internet where the protest against the authorities is rumbling, who are therefore trying to contain or even replace the platforms deemed dangerous.
"I'm an American!", Thunders the young Russian "Neurolera" in English on the Chinese platform TikTok.
In her little video, she explains how to pretend to be a tourist and avoid arrest during the demonstrations on Saturday, announced in support of the imprisoned opponent Alexeï Navalny.
The quirky advice has been viewed over half a million times, while multiple calls for a protest have totaled hundreds of millions of views on this popular teen platform.
Another striking example: the vast investigation by Mr. Navalny accusing the Russian president of having built a sumptuous palace.
This video was viewed over 60 million times on YouTube between Tuesday and Friday.
YouTube has become the preferred platform for many young Russians for information.
The videos of web stars like Yuri Doud, known for his punchy documentaries, or Alexeï Navalny, are often enjoying increasing success.
In response, the authorities have started in recent years to tighten up the "runet" (Russian internet) in the name of the fight against extremism, terrorism and the protection of minors.
Catch-all concepts according to detractors of the regime, who see in them attempts at censorship.
Russia also adopted in 2019 a law for the development of a sovereign internet.
The authorities deny wanting to build a national network under control, as is the case in China, but this is exactly what NGOs and opponents fear.
- Fines and failures -
Russian telecommunications gendarme Roskomnadzor reacted this week to the wave of pro-Navalny content by threatening social networks with fines in the name of protecting under-18s.
On the eve of the protest, he said TikTok had "deleted 38% of information implicating minors in dangerous illegal actions", adding that VKontakte - the Russian Facebook - had deleted 50% of these messages, Instagram 17% and YouTube 50%.
For its part, Facebook, which owns Instagram, said it had not complied with the authorities' demand.
“As this content does not go against our community standards, it remains on our platform,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a comment sent to AFP on Friday evening.
The fine, for platforms that do not comply with the law, can go up to 4 million rubles (43,880 euros at the current rate), according to Roskomnadzor.
Russia is already blocking, with varying success, a number of sites that oppose or have refused to cooperate with the authorities, such as the social network LinkedIn.
But completely banning YouTube, which is owned by Google, seems more complicated.
"Roskomnadzor does not have a lot of funds," said Artiom Kozliouk, director of the Roskomsvoboda association for the defense of digital freedoms, "they have practically no leverage".
"It is difficult to put pressure on Western social networks: by making concessions to a political regime, a blow would be dealt to their reputation on a global scale," he adds.
- Local competitors -
In the case of TikTok, if the steps could be facilitated by proximity to China, an expert in internet censorship, Moscow nevertheless comes up against a lack of knowledge of this popular social network among the youngest.
State broadcaster RT reported on Wednesday that courses would be offered to officials on understanding teen slang and on sites like TikTok.
Russia failed to ban encrypted Telegram messaging last year, after months of unsuccessful blocking attempts.
Consequently, the authorities aim to build local competitors, like "RuTube", belonging to the holding company Gazprom-Media (controlled by the Russian gas giant), a video platform that presents sanitized content.
So far, the site pales in comparison to YouTube.
But Gazprom-Media, now headed by Alexandre Jarov, former head of Roskomnadzor, announced that in 2021-2022, it would modernize RuTube and launch a "Russian TikTok" developed with the support of the Innopraktika foundation, headed by Katerina Tikhonova, daughter presumed from Vladimir Putin.
But according to Artiom Kozliouk, after more than twenty years of free internet, these efforts are coming far too late.
The authorities "missed their chance," he said.
© 2021 AFP