In a move to counter what it claims is YouTube’s “anti-Russia policy,” Russia plans to throttle YouTube download speeds on desktop computers by up to 70%.
Alexander Khinshtein, chairman of Russia’s parliamentary committee on technology, announced this on Telegram, stating that the slowdown would begin with a 40% reduction by the end of this week, escalating to 70% by the end of next week. The mobile versions of YouTube remain unaffected for now.
Khinshtein accuses YouTube of deleting channels that feature Russian public figures who express views contrary to Western perspectives. He recommends Russian users switch to local alternatives like Rutube and VK Video.
This development follows a series of restrictions Russia has imposed on social media since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were blocked for hosting content critical of Russian actions. Despite various fines and pressures, YouTube continued to operate in Russia until now.
