Russian Authorities Throttling YouTube: A New Low for Russia’s Online Freedom

• Thousands of users in Russia have complained that they're unable to use YouTube without a VPN.
• The Russian authorities have begun slowing down YouTube to a crawl, and the ultimate goal is to completely ban the video streaming platform.
• Both Google and Russia haven't commented on the matter.

A Russian independent news outlet, Meduza, has reported a mass YouTube outage in the country. Thousands of users have been unable to access the platform, with some commenting that they could only access it via VPNs.

YouTube is not working," one anonymous user stated in a YouTube comment.

Even reporters from Reuters in Russia reported similar issues accessing YouTube, further solidifying that there's indeed something notorious going on. The platform remained available on only a few mobile devices.

Google hasn't responded to any requests for comment on this issue yet, but YouTube said last week (when a smaller number of people were unable to access the platform) that there was no technical problem on its side.Russian Authorities Throttling YouTube

YouTube speeds in Russia have slowed down noticeably over the last few weeks, but the blame for this is being put on Alphabet (Google's parent company that owns YouTube) by Russian lawmakers.

Alexander Khinshtein, head of a Russian parliamentary committee on information policy, warned last month that YouTube speeds could drop by as much as 70%.

Khinshtein blamed the slowdown on Google's failure to invest properly in building infrastructure in Russia, such as local cache servers. This allegation has been denied by YouTube. Plus, according to Meduza's source, this is a deliberate attempt to shift responsibility.

In the second week of July, Meduza reported about the Kremlin's plan to permanently block YouTube in September. However, it looks like the Russian authorities are ahead of their schedule.

It's well worth noting that this is a huge loss for the average Russian. YouTube, with over 93 million users in Russia, was one of the last platforms for people there to freely express their views, even if they went against the administration.

Why Are Russian Authorities Blocking YouTube?

According to the Kremlin, throttling YouTube is a necessary step to stop foreign companies who think they can violate Russia's laws without repercussions. It's also how they plan to stop western influence on their citizens.

However, earlier this year, the Russian government requested Google to restore around 200 pro-government YouTube channels that the platform had blocked since Russia invaded Ukraine.

The duality here is appalling, and it's clear that online censorship in Russia, including the latest YouTube ban, is to prevent dissidents in the country.

One can't be surprised at YouTube's censorship in Russia, to say the least. The country has always been strict about what companies and social media platforms get to operate within its borders.

Ever since it got into the war with Ukraine, it has blocked several popular social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. Earlier this year, it banned both WhatsApp and Telegram.

Next, in early July, Russia's state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor ordered Apple to remove 25 VPN apps from its App Store in Russia, which it did.

YouTube was the only place where people could freely host materials by Kremlin opponents, but it looks like that will no longer be the case. This is what online censorships do: they snatch people's voices.

How to Watch YouTube in Russia?

All is not lost for those who want to stream YouTube in Russia, as there is a way to get around the country's YouTube blocks.

The best VPNs, or virtual private networks, encrypt your online traffic and spoof your IP address, allowing you to sidestep geo-restrictions on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, etc.

VPN services also keep your online activities hidden from snoopers, including Russian ISPs and authorities, who actively track and censor VPNs.

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