[liberationtech] Russia’s State-Controlled Telecom Provider Proposes State-Run Online Ecosystem

[Yosem Companys]

In an attempt to “protect users from foreign influence,” Russia’s
state-controlled telecommunications provider hasproposed a $4.1 billion online
ecosystem providing messengers, gaming services, browsers and operating systems.
TheMoscow Times reports that Rostelecom’s ambitious proposal also calls for
state-controlled content recommendation systems, virtual and augmented reality
technology and speech and gesture recognition. Kommersant, a Russian daily
newspaper, reported that the underlying purpose of the ecosystem is to diminish
the risk of public opinion being manipulated through technology because such
technologies “can significantly affect economic development and social stability
and carry risks of … spreading fake news and negative influence from foreign
organizations.” The proposal, or “roadmap,” is part of President Vladimir
Putin’s National Projects program which aims to stimulate the economy. IT
experts expressed skepticism about such an expensive program when similar
solutions developed by private Russian tech firms are available.
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