Instagram submits to Russia censor's demands

[icymist]

Source: BBC

Instagram has blocked posts in Russia relating to corruption claims made by the country's most prominent opposition leader.

It follows a demand by the country's internet censor that the Facebook-owned service restrict access to posts on its platform connected to allegations made by Alexei Navalny.

Its response contrasts with that of Google's YouTube service.

...The controversy followed a YouTube video posted by Mr Navalny's Anti-corruption Foundation last week that allegedly shows the billionaire Oleg Deripaska meeting with Russia's deputy prime minister Sergei Prikhodko aboard a yacht.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43070555

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So Zuckerburg thinks it's fine and dandy to allow Russian propaganda to interfere with the US on Facebook but will block opposition to Putin on Instagram? "When governments believe that something on the internet violates their laws, they may contact companies and ask us to restrict access to that content," ~ spokeswoman from Facebook. "Give me a F^cking break!"~ icymist

[guillaumeb]

1. Zuckerburg worships money.

Perhaps Putin has compromat on Zuckerburg also.

[Igel]

5. It goes like this.

In the US, if you do X there's no repercussions. It's not illegal. It makes money. And it's fully in keeping with our "deepest values" for the last 100 years or so--perhaps not the youngest generation's with their doubt about whether speech really should be free or just freely allowed as long as it's inoffensive.

In Russia, you do X and you're shut down. This makes a great rhetorical point. Which, because the press isn't free, is (a) unheard by most citizens there and (b) because it's irrelevant ignored by most citizens here.

If you're particularly unlucky, not only are you shutdown but your business associates are shut not down but in, that is, shut into prison cells. Any additional benefits that you think come from your product are lost. That can be money, can be entertainment, can be whatever social benefits you messianically think you're providing.

We've seen this done in China, in various other lesser developed countries, in Russia.

Now, what's really disturbing is that those who find it a problem to comply with restrictions in Russia tend to chant and sway in unison for the same kinds of restrictions, with the relevant changes, here. "Facebook must not be allowed to post things that undermine what we think the One True View is." "We like freedom of the press, provided that people with surnames ending in -sky and -ov aren't behind the posts." "Better dead than read."

Open societies either self-destruct or required a virtuous, educated, dedicated citizenry. Having largely disposed of the first, always having had problems with the second, and thinking that the third are marginally insane, that leaves self-destruction. Iisus pomilui ... Jesus, have mercy.

[Chakaconcarne]

2. So instagram is going to alienate the majority of Russia...

Great business decision.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

3. Zuckerberg is scum.

Apologies to scum.

[SunSeeker]

4. So we can't post facts about Russian leaders but Russians can posts lies about ours?

How is Instagram not committing treason? I am so sick of this shit.