Tensions Rise: Putin Accuses YouTube of Slowing Down in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses YouTube, owned by Alphabet, of intentionally slowing speeds in Russia. Critics suspect the disruptions aim to restrict access to content critical of the Russian government. Authorities claim technical issues, not deliberate interference, causing outages. The situation raises questions about compliance with national laws.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Alphabet's YouTube of purposefully slowing down its service in Russia, warning that Google must comply with Russian regulations to continue operations in the country. The accusation adds a new layer to the ongoing tech-related tensions between Russia and foreign companies.

Many critics argue that the Russian government is intentionally disrupting YouTube's service to prevent the spread of content critical of Putin's administration. However, Russian officials refute these claims, instead blaming Google's alleged failure to upgrade essential equipment for the outages—a statement strongly contested by both the company and independent technology experts.

Despite reports from Russian internet monitoring services about widespread outages of the platform over recent months, the Russian communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, denies any government-led obstruction of YouTube traffic. The issue remains a point of contention, encapsulating the broader struggle over digital liberties within Russia.

(With inputs from agencies.)