In June 2024, a new video hosting service called "Platform" appeared in Russia, which is positioned as an alternative to YouTube. The project was developed by Rteam, a company associated with Russia Today (funded by the Russian government mainly from the state budget). The main idea of the service is to create a space without "Western censorship" and "anti-Russian rhetoric". But at the start, the project faced a number of problems that raise doubts about its success and safety.
Why did you launch the Platforma video hosting?
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, YouTube has removed tens of thousands of propaganda and pro-war videos from Russia. But the platform has not been able to completely rid itself of such content: there are still channels with hundreds of thousands of subscribers and videos with millions of views, in which, sometimes openly, sometimes under the guise of interviews with celebrities, praise the Russian authorities and military personnel.
Against the backdrop of the increased risk of blocking, Russian bloggers, government agencies and large media companies are trying to master the Rutube and VKontakte platforms (the latter is developing its own VK Video service). And now we have launched the Platform service.
The Russian authorities themselves admit that these sites cannot yet compete on equal terms with YouTube, and assumethat a full-fledged competitor will appear no earlier than in five years. Despite this, rumors regularly appear that the Google-owned service can be blocked in Russia at any time.
Does Platforma have a future?
At the moment, Platforma has little content and viewers. The videos hardly gain dozens of views, which indicates a low level of interest in the new service. If developers don't find a way to attract more users and improve the quality of content, the prospects for the "Platform" remain vague.
What is the danger of Platforma video hosting?
Propaganda and manipulation
The main content on the "Platform" consists of propaganda and entertainment videos. For queries such as "Putin", "war", "Ukraine" and other politically charged topics, the service produces videos with a clear propaganda bias. This can lead to increased one-sided awareness and manipulation of viewers' opinions.
Firearms and violence
A number of videos show firearms, which violates the site's own rules. Such content can contribute to increased violence and the spread of dangerous ideas among users.
Weak moderation and irrelevant content
There are very few videos on the Platform so far, and even popular queries often lead to irrelevant results. This indicates weak moderation and can alienate potential users.
Will YouTube be blocked in Russia?
The issue of blocking YouTube in Russia has been hanging in the air for a long time. The launch of the "Platform" can be a signal of preparation for this step. At the same time, blocking YouTube will lead to significant consequences.
The most obvious is the restriction of access to information
YouTube is the largest video-sharing platform where users can find information on any topic. Its blocking will significantly reduce the ability of Russians to access a variety of content.
A blow to business and education
Many Russian companies, bloggers, and educational institutions use YouTube to promote their services and products. Blocking can negatively affect their income and development opportunities.
The rise of VPNs
To circumvent blocking, users may begin to use VPN services more actively, which may lead to an increase in their popularity and, as a result, to a new round of the fight against these technologies by the Russian state.
Is Russia closer to the sovereign Internet?
The creation of analogues of Western services and the possible blocking of popular platforms may be part of the strategy to create a sovereign Internet in Russia.
Control over information flows
Authorities will be able to more effectively control information disseminated on the Internet and block objectionable content.
Increased censorship
Increased control will lead to increased censorship and restrictions on freedom of speech on the Internet.
Technical and financial costs
The implementation of a sovereign Internet requires significant financial and technical resources, which can put additional pressure on the economy.
P.S.
The launch of Platforma raises many questions and concerns. So far, it does not pose serious competition to YouTube and faces a number of problems. However, if the Russian authorities decide to block YouTube and continue to develop a sovereign Internet, this could significantly change the information space of the Russian Federation and strengthen control over users.
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