This paper wants to ascertain if the Russian government’s strategy to regulate internet media uses totally new methods or if the tools used to control online content are often indistinguishable from the ones used in traditional media. To answer this question first it will be worked out a theoretical framework, based on which this research can be conducted. Next will be an overview about the development and usage statistics of the Russian internet, before the legal and non-legal strategy concerning the internet media regulation in Russia, as well as related phenomena will be elaborated. The paper ends with a conclusion and an outlook on possible further development and necessary research.
One important tool of the current Russian elites under the leadership of President Putin to secure power is controlling the media, as it helped them maintain Putin’s popularity despite several economic crisis and sanctions.
Having secured control over traditional media, Russia’s ruling regime however entered a battle with content shared on social media and internet media outlets "to consolidate an information dominance over citizens", as the online sphere brings several new threats for the Russian government, including counter narratives to official propaganda and the coordination of oppositional forces.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Framework
3. Characteristics of the Russian internet media sphere
3.1. Development of the Russian internet media and its influence
3.2. Usage statistics concerning the Russian internet media
4. Legal strategy to regulate internet media
5. Non-legal strategy to regulate internet media
5.1. Framing
5.2. Cultural values and ideology
5.3. Manipulated public scene and agenda setting
5.4. Publication hurdles
5.5. Collaboration with internet companies
6. Regulation of phenomena influencing internet media
6.1. Social media and bloggers
6.2. General internet regulation
7. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines how the Russian government regulates and influences the internet media sphere, specifically investigating whether these strategies represent entirely new approaches or if they mirror the control mechanisms used in traditional media. The research explores the interplay between state control, ideological narratives, and the emergence of a digital public sphere in Russia.
- The theoretical impact of network society concepts on Russian media.
- Legal and non-legal strategies of internet media regulation in Russia.
- The role of "framing" and information culture in maintaining state influence.
- The impact of state-influenced collaborations with internet infrastructure providers.
- Regulation of social media users, bloggers, and the broader online discourse.
Excerpt from the Book
5.1. Framing
One important method used by the authorities to regulate online news is the framing of internet news as biased, dangerous and unreliable as well as the internet itself as a platform of threats like pornography, crime, the increase in suicide attacks, sexual minority propaganda and foreign agents trying to cause political and social instability. In addition liberal protestors, social network users of the opposition and oppositional blogs are framed as “traitors” and “paid for by the West” by the Russian government. This strategy was especially used during the steady growth of internet users in the 2000s, for example in 2004 former Moscow Mayor Jury Luzhkov demonized the internet in an article. Especially after the demonstrations in 2011 and 2012 there is an empirically verifiable increase of the internet being mentioned as security threat by the Russian government. For example in 2014 President Putin claimed that the internet is a CIA Project, created and shaped by the Americans in their interest. He further argued that it is the Russians government obligation to resist this project. It is obvious that the created distrust of the Russian society towards the internet by this statements is obliged to win public approval for a harsher regulation of the internet.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the research motivation, focusing on the Russian government's drive for information dominance and the central question of whether online control mechanisms are distinct from traditional media regulation.
2. Theoretical Framework: The research utilizes Manuel Castells' network society theory alongside Jürgen Habermas’ concept of the public sphere to evaluate how the Russian government interacts with modern digital information structures.
3. Characteristics of the Russian internet media sphere: This section provides an overview of the evolution of the Russian internet, noting its transition from an emerging space to a highly regulated environment, while presenting usage statistics that highlight a continued reliance on television.
4. Legal strategy to regulate internet media: This chapter details the rise of legislative measures since 2010, including anti-extremist laws and internet blacklists, which are characterized by vague definitions to encourage self-censorship.
5. Non-legal strategy to regulate internet media: This chapter explores soft power techniques, such as cultural framing, the manipulation of the public scene, and forced collaboration with private internet companies.
6. Regulation of phenomena influencing internet media: This section examines the specific regulatory environment for social media users, bloggers, and initiatives aimed at isolating the Russian internet from global networks.
7. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that the Russian government employs a hybrid strategy—combining old-school media control with modern technological intervention—to maintain power and stifle an independent public sphere.
Keywords
Internet regulation, Russia, media control, network society, public sphere, censorship, digital policy, information dominance, framing, self-censorship, Roskomnadzor, online activism, ideology, sovereignty, surveillance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research?
The work investigates the regulatory strategies employed by the Russian government to control the internet and online media, analyzing how the state manages potential threats to its information dominance.
What are the central themes of the analysis?
The study centers on the transition from analog to digital control, the usage of vague legislation for self-censorship, the framing of internet threats, and the forced alignment of private internet companies with state interests.
What is the primary objective of this paper?
The objective is to determine if the tools used to control the Russian internet are unique innovations or if they are essentially the same control mechanisms previously used in traditional, state-managed media.
Which scientific methods or frameworks are utilized?
The research uses the theoretical frameworks of Manuel Castells regarding the network society and Jürgen Habermas regarding the public sphere to evaluate the state of information discourse in Russia.
What does the main body cover?
It provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Russian internet evolution, detailed legal frameworks like the "Blogger Bill," and non-legal strategies such as the creation of an artificially simulated "public scene."
Which keywords define the work?
Key terms include internet regulation, Russia, media control, digital censorship, framing, and information dominance.
How does the government leverage private infrastructure?
The government utilizes "new-school" regulation by collaborating with internet infrastructure owners and private intermediaries to filter content and block websites, rather than relying solely on direct state penalties.
Why is the "public scene" concept important?
It highlights that the Russian government substitutes a genuine Habermasian public sphere with a curated, artificially simulated public scene to maintain control over public discourse.
What is the significance of the 2011/2012 protests?
These protests demonstrated the mobilization potential of the internet, which prompted the Russian government to accelerate its regulatory efforts and deepen its control over digital platforms.
Does the paper foresee a total disconnection of the Russian internet?
While the paper notes steps toward a centralized, isolated internet infrastructure, it concludes that complete success remains uncertain due to the relatively decentralized nature of the existing Russian internet.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Florian Hertle (Autor:in), 2020, The strategy of the Russian government to counteract the emergence of an unmediated public sphere in online media, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/909676
