Website traffic for news sites will be completely halted during the summit
The Russia-US Summit, scheduled for August 15-17 in Alaska, will see the first in-person meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and American leader Donald Trump since 2019. In the lead-up to this highly anticipated event, mobile internet users in Russia may notice a change in their internet access.
It has been announced that during the Russia-US Summit, mobile internet will be zero-rated on popular Russian news resources. The list of zero-rated resources includes 14 websites: RIA Novosti (ria.ru), TASS (tass.ru), Interfax (interfax.ru), RBC (rbc.ru), Kommersant (kommersant.ru), Vedomosti (vedomosti.ru), Izvestia (iz.ru), Gazeta.Ru (gazeta.ru), Lenta.ru (lenta.ru), NTV (ntv.ru), First Channel (1tv.ru), VGTRK (vgtrk.ru), RT (rt.com), and Ura.ru (ura.news). Traffic zero-rating for subscribers in Russia will occur automatically.
The reasons behind this decision are not entirely clear. While it's possible that such measures could be part of broader efforts by Russian authorities to control and monitor internet usage, further investigation into official statements or policy announcements from Russian authorities would be necessary to confirm this.
In recent years, Russia has been tightening its grip on the internet, introducing laws and regulations that allow for greater surveillance and control over online content. This includes promoting a national messaging app, Max, which is mandatory on new devices and is perceived as a tool for state surveillance. Zero-rating specific news resources could be a strategy to steer users towards state-approved content while maintaining broader internet control.
MegaFon's Commercial Director Dmitry Rudskikh has noted the importance of fast and convenient access to reliable information, emphasising that the Russia-US Summit will provide opportunities for information tracking updates. However, no information about his participation in the summit has been provided.
For those interested in local news, the Magadan News group on Telegram offers insights into life in Magadan and Magadan Oblast. Despite the focus on official news resources during the summit, the diversity of information sources available online ensures that users can stay informed about events in a variety of ways.
Zero-rating traffic is one of the possible ways to stay informed about events, but it's important to remember that the internet remains a valuable tool for accessing a wide range of perspectives and information. As always, it's crucial to approach online sources with a critical eye and to verify information from multiple sources.
- Given the upcoming Russia-US Summit and the zero-rating of mobile internet on specific news resources, it's plausible that Russian authorities may be attempting to control and monitor internet usage, potentially steering users towards state-approved content.
- While zero-rating certain news resources during the summit could provide fast and convenient access to reliable information, it's crucial for users to remain vigilant and critical of their sources, verifying information from various perspectives to ensure a balanced understanding of events.
