Russia-Ukraine-Internet - Questions, Considerations, Implications

## Content **Note: This is a Work-In-Progress** - Actions - Government - Ukraine Asks - Representative of the role of platform power - Digital Minister: Mykhailo Fedorov - 26/2 - Google: Google Market and Google Pay ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497515752856899588?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Netflix: Block Russian Federation and remove Russian content ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497519511246884866?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)). - YouTube: Block Russian channels like Russia 24, TASS, RIA Novosti ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497523010613428224?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Facebook / Instagram: Block access for citizens of Russian Federation ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497533103513948161?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)). Goal not to block information sources, but to engage 'youth, proactive and smart people' - Information about cryptocurrency wallets of Russian and Belarusian politicians. ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497534656786403332?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Elon Musk: starlink ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497543633293266944?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Volunteers for an 'IT ARMY' ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497642156076511233?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - 27/2 - Viber, Paypal: Blocking services in Russia, calls on 'young and thinking Russians to wake up' ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497725289224409090?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Visa, Mastercard: Block services on all cards within Russia. ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497901980886482944?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Crypto-currency exhanges: block addresses of Russian users. "crucial to freeze not only the addresses linked to Russian and Belarusian politicians, but also to sabotage ordinary users" ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497922588491792386)) - Mark Zuckerberg: Ban access to FB / Insta in Russia ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497941029055606791?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - 28/2 - Cloudflare: Not to protect Russian web resources. ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1498257695039709192?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - YouTube: Repeated call to deplatform Russian state media ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1498411656761778182?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - 01/03 - YouTube: block Russia24 for all users in Russia and worldwide ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1498602438399602688?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Apple Music and Spotify: Let artists change album covers to show support for Ukraine. ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1498623236229246980?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Remote sensing firms to provide real time data to support Ukrainian forces with actionable intelligence. ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1498664494301650950?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - 02/03 - Game-streaming companies: Garena, Twitch, Steam to prevent russians from participating in esports events ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1499307159632363521?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)). - Epic Games, Nintendo, Rockstar Games, Konami, Bethesda, etc. to 'halt' games in Russia. ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1499307028430401536?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Riot games, EA, Ubisoft: Close offices in Russia ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1498946124106850308?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Xbox, Playstation: Leave the russian market. ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1498945221337534469?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Oracle, SAP: Stop products, services, software updates in Russia ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1499010789595885578?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)). - 2 steps highlighted ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1498257695039709192?s=20&t=NQg9UC8FR-TtJ_NWf_WPtA)) - Mastercard + Visa exits - Blocking App Store and Play Store - 03/03 - IBM: Arbor services to protect russian web resources ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1499507157619945473?s=20&t=3ALZeoRSVsPb42uCTe0drQ)) - 04/03 - Governors of California ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1499776607405416449?s=20&t=OmdJROYFZBNV8_IGtXSwmQ)), Washington ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1499782935590883338?s=20&t=OmdJROYFZBNV8_IGtXSwmQ)): Seemingly based on New York state's [executive order](https://twitter.com/GovKathyHochul/status/1499161387079278592?s=20&t=OmdJROYFZBNV8_IGtXSwmQ) asking state agencies / authorities to "review and divest public funds from Russia" (link to[ executive order](https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2022-02/Executive%20Order%20No.%2014.pdf)), but goes beyond in asking for companies located in the respective jurisdictions to cease providing services in Russia. - 05/03 - Figma: "Do not let russia’s aggressor use modern technology and craft propagandistic websites and applications." ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1500111303117099013)) - 06/03 - Amazon + Jeff Bezos: Suspect AWS in Russia ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1500549503471992835?s=20&t=OmdJROYFZBNV8_IGtXSwmQ)) - Microsoft + Bill Gates + Satya Nadella: Block access to Azure, Skype and Github ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1500504939503697923?s=20&t=OmdJROYFZBNV8_IGtXSwmQ)) - Maxmind: Stop providing services to Russian state-owned companies, prevent downloads to geo-intelligence databases and/or deliberately corrupt them so they are of limited/no utility in Russia. ([tweet](https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1500177124954673154)) - DoS Russian Users - ICANN and RIPE - revoke russian ccTLDs - contrbute to revoking SSL ceritificates - Shut down particular DNS servers - Prevent Russian members of RIPE NCC (regional internet registry for EU, ME and Central Asia) from using IPv4 and IPv6 addresses - Is this proportionate? - For Ukrainians, this is war. - For Platforms, shouldn't the criteria be to determine a threat be whether it leads to loss of lives in Ukraine immediately. Anything broader should probably be done in accordance with state sanctions. - Russia - Landing law: - Reiterated the need for platforms to setup offices in-country by the end of February 2021. 13 companies were notified in November 2021 > Meta, Twitter, TikTok, Likeme, Pinterest, Viber, Telegram, Discord, Zoom, Apple, Google, Spotify and Twitch. - Compliance status ([source](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/26/technology/russia-censorship-tech.html)): - Apple, TikTok and Spotify complied . Spotify later shut down its office. - Twitch and Telegram have not. - Facebook and Twitter have partially complied. - Disrupting access in Ukraine - ~500 base stations due to power and infrastructure damage. Netblocks ([tweet](https://twitter.com/netblocks/status/1499003625116512258?s=20&t=Z_0ltUjfGlZw78XQkBZptw)) - Blocking Platforms - Facebook: Restriction on 'Russia's leading internet providers' on Feb 27. Netblocks ([tweet](https://twitter.com/netblocks/status/1497941791177416711), [post](https://netblocks.org/reports/twitter-and-facebook-restricted-in-russia-amid-conflict-with-ukraine-JBZrogB6)). Had ordered Facebook to stop labelling posts by state media (Nick Clegg [Tweet](https://twitter.com/nickclegg/status/1497279120853590025)) - Twitter: Blocked on some telecom providers on Feb 26. Netblocks ([tweet](https://twitter.com/netblocks/status/1497523148362862593), [post](https://netblocks.org/reports/twitter-and-facebook-restricted-in-russia-amid-conflict-with-ukraine-JBZrogB6)), OONI ([tweet](https://twitter.com/OpenObservatory/status/1497951299593281538?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg)) - More blocks - OONI ([blog](https://ooni.org/post/2022-russia-blocks-amid-ru-ua-conflict/)) - [Demands](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-demands-google-restore-access-its-media-youtube-channels-ukraine-2022-02-27/) removal of restrictions to YouTube channels of Russian media in Ukraine. "Russian-language YouTube channels of media outlets RBC, TV Zvezda and Sputnik." - Using microtasking platforms to potentially pinpoint targets: [Bogdan Kulynych](https://twitter.com/hiddenmarkov/status/1497351111656751109?s=20&t=1QeVvkqKnE-j074FkrLMjA) - EU - Wants to build tools to block "their" disinformation in Europe ([link](https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-announces-rt-sputnik-ban/)). - Asked platforms to block Russian state media channels. - Private: - See RestOfWorld's [list](https://restofworld.org/2022/list-tech-companies-taking-action-russia/) - Social Media - Telegram: Considered limiting or blocking Telegram channels in Russia and Ukraine due to unverified information ([tweet](https://twitter.com/arzugeybulla/status/1497961378606456843?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg)), later backtracked ([tweet](https://twitter.com/arzugeybulla/status/1497972223835049984?s=20&t=eXDmatXKcdee0M_reg_u3A)) - Facebook: ([blog post](https://about.fb.com/news/2022/02/metas-ongoing-efforts-regarding-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/)), intercept + reuters stories - Twitter - YouTube - TikTok - Reddit: Blocked links to Russian state media worldwide (many subreddits may already have done that), and ads that originate or target Russia. Had already quarantined r/Russia. - Others - Google Maps - No live location in Ukraine - Prevent reviews on some listings in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus after they were used to share news after an Anonymous campaign calling for people to leave reviews explaining what is happening in Ukraine. - Apple - No Product Sales - OnlyFans - [Blocked and restored ](https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/onlyfans-russia-putin-ukraine-invasion-1313259/)Russian creator accounts. Also seemed to have affected Ukrainian users. Even after claims of restoration, creators reported issues. - Fallout of SWIFT restrictions as per OnlyFans statement. - CAs revoking certs ([tweet](https://twitter.com/Scott_Helme/status/1504052168227184642?s=20&t=oFAYtHFI2h0ne4T__WAZsA)) - Information Ecosystem / Politics - Propaganda (using this, as there seems to be some debate over whether disinformation is an accurate term in the current context) - Laura Edelson [thread](https://twitter.com/LauraEdelson2/status/1498742294056472578?s=20&t=KXvkWz4iKOrlej152rC7Pg) : 1. Flood with accurate information 2. Humanise 'your side' 3. Eliminate the worst offenders in terms of spreading misleading information. - Kate Starbird, Fog of War ([thread](https://twitter.com/katestarbird/status/1496714317651083266), [post](https://www.cip.uw.edu/2022/02/24/fog-of-war-russia-ukraine/)) : 1. Slow down. > Real-time participation in real-world crises/conflict can take a heavy toll. We want to be informed and we don’t want to look away while people are suffering. But do take breaks. 3. Understand motivations. 4. Use SIFT (**S**top, **I**nvestigate the source, **F**ind better coverage; and **T**race claims, quotes and media to the original context). - M B Petersen [thread](https://twitter.com/M_B_Petersen/status/1499377808740700161?s=20&t=TU09dsCnl7dPaGhzc2WH0w) on effectiveness of propaganda based on existing literature in the context of bans on Russian state media. 1. Propaganda has little effects because human psychology priorities prior beliefs. Russian disinformation may not align with western values and therefore not work as well. 2. Note that it does have effects on a 'devoted in-group' 3. During Crimean annexation, most interaction with Russian disinformation was due to countering it. 4. Why shouldn't Russian state media be banned - counter to openness, opportunity to understand, those who want to find propaganda will find it. 5. What to do: Media fact-checks, prebunks, give individual users ability to turn off 'propaganda' instead of centralised plaltform interventions. - Tiktok - TikTok being under-explored. Shayan Sardarizadeh [tweeted](https://twitter.com/Shayan86/status/1497551543150723072?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg) "false and misleading videos on TikTok have been racking up tens of millions of views" - Abbie Richards on TikTok's political uses ([tweet](https://twitter.com/abbieasr/status/1500956940775604225?s=20&t=s33TMlAoJfBqnGPnuBe1fg)) - Whitehouse briefing tiktokers ([tweet]([](https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1502332894487982083))) - Media Manipulation Study ([link](https://mediamanipulation.org/research/tiktok-war-ukraine-and-10-features-make-app-vulnerable-misinformation)) - Biases - Pro Ukraine narratives - https://www.thenation.com/article/world/information-war-media-ukraine/ * Good-faith bottom-up misinformation (Rasmus Nielsen [tweet](https://twitter.com/rasmus_kleis/status/1497855728740093953?s=20&t=hdRqtnbqYg5lAEpTdaP_-Q)) - Putin Deepfakes - Narrative - Russia has lost the information war: [Dmitry Alperovitch](https://twitter.com/DAlperovitch/status/1497656746206236678?s=20&t=TOCvgq7WexzIpM4LsdnS1g), [Lukesz Olejnik](https://twitter.com/lukOlejnik/status/1497835296506925058?s=20&t=1QeVvkqKnE-j074FkrLMjA), https://www.wired.com/story/putin-collapse-disinformation-machinery-ukraine - [Nicole Eaton](https://twitter.com/nicolemeaton/status/1497671975933784066?s=20&t=TOCvgq7WexzIpM4LsdnS1g) - comparison of Crowdtangle data for independent outlets v/s state media (question: why are we assuming this is genuine traffic) - What changed? - Hypothesis - indifference v/s united in rooting for the opposition? - Already against Putin (A.J. Bauer [thread](https://twitter.com/ajbauer/status/1497658681340612610) on the insufficiency of the term 'propaganda') - Kate Starbird on BioLabs theory from participatory disinformation lens and that Russian disinformation machine can still make you look elsewhere ([tweet](https://twitter.com/katestarbird/status/1503139231111122945?s=20&t=YzE3YYBjC48a_-T1hPTnTg)) - Arbitrary Action - What frameworks are platforms using to determine their course of action? - Assumption that platforms could have started doing this at any point. - Gives them way too much credit. As far as limiting specific properties under intense pressure - we know they can do that and already have many times in the past. - Blocks/Bans - Is the engagement with Russian Media enough to justify a bank and risk reciprocal bans (which may happen anyway) (Rasmus Nielsen [tweet](https://twitter.com/rasmus_kleis/status/1498989174677979142) with comscore + crowdtangle Facebook data for Germany, France and UK) - RNS framework - Attention-giving capacities - Limited, most focus on Ukraine. - Kate Starbird on whe focus recedes ([tweet](https://mobile.twitter.com/katestarbird/status/1500968184605642752)) - Advantages of Social Media - Brandon Silverman : https://twitter.com/brandonsilverm/status/1498765261356158977?s=20&t=1JcVRNTHLCtnSrMXIJVVUQ - Casey Newton (force multiplier post) - Internet Governance - Implications - More platform power - Already accrued a lot of power. As Yael Eisenstat [tweeted](https://twitter.com/YaelEisenstat/status/1497592237613539328?s=20&t=TOCvgq7WexzIpM4LsdnS1g), world leaders have to appeal to corporate humanity. - At the centre of geopolitics. Are they equipped to shoulder this burden. - No evolution of due-process - Splinternet - Platform Governance - States using laws to dictate moderation and potential clash (Mike Masnick's [tweet](https://twitter.com/mmasnick/status/1497969833115197440?s=20&t=J3h3LxcEAPJbX6V5HzoDWw)) - %% - https://twitter.com/YaelEisenstat/status/1497592237613539328?s=20&t=TOCvgq7WexzIpM4LsdnS1g - https://twitter.com/DAlperovitch/status/1497656746206236678?s=20&t=TOCvgq7WexzIpM4LsdnS1g - https://twitter.com/nicolemeaton/status/1497671975933784066?s=20&t=TOCvgq7WexzIpM4LsdnS1g - https://twitter.com/satariano/status/1497519760858304512?s=20&t=tPQBCQyVI2n7MTa19Gemng - https://twitter.com/hiddenmarkov/status/1497351111656751109?s=20&t=1QeVvkqKnE-j074FkrLMjA - https://twitter.com/polinaivanovva/status/1497555494755618824?s=20&t=1QeVvkqKnE-j074FkrLMjA - Remember c&it recommended selective blocking - https://twitter.com/netblocks/status/1497893840090550274?s=20&t=1QeVvkqKnE-j074FkrLMjA - https://twitter.com/lukOlejnik/status/1497835296506925058?s=20&t=1QeVvkqKnE-j074FkrLMjA - https://twitter.com/Shayan86/status/1497551543150723072?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497642156076511233?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg - https://twitter.com/Techmeme/status/1497963684974317570?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg - https://twitter.com/OpenObservatory/status/1497951299593281538?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg - https://twitter.com/arzugeybulla/status/1497961378606456843?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg - https://twitter.com/mmasnick/status/1497969833115197440?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg - https://twitter.com/ejdickson/status/1497959338551517189?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg - https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1497972564634882048?s=20&t=7H_SefOYydSFc1TSXp0Sfg - developing tools to block RT/Sputnik and subsidiaries - https://twitter.com/acfou/status/1497647041908031489?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - Federov - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497543633293266944?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497941029055606791?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497922588491792386?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497901980886482944?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497725289224409090?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497675310246027265?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497642156076511233?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497607339653873674?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497533103513948161?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497523010613428224?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497519511246884866?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497327555690610689?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://twitter.com/wbm312/status/1497710767872765954?s=20&t=L_SL6HN7MQs9iH6U7ZlL0Q - https://www.deccanherald.com/business/business-news/telegram-founder-says-no-longer-considers-restricting-channels-after-user-pushback-1085749.html - SIFT and rethinking roles : [](https://twitter.com/holden/status/1496889691936727042) - https://twitter.com/rasmus_kleis/status/1498021590700806153?s=20&t=rrxCFW9BTBbUYpD1IEKGWA - https://twitter.com/MishiChoudhary/status/1497998118528425989?s=20&t=rrxCFW9BTBbUYpD1IEKGWA - - Bbc fact check: [](https://www.bbc.com/news/60528276) varied motivation, and pro ukraine fact manipulation (for the greater good rasmus) https://twitter.com/rasmus_kleis/status/1497855728740093953?s=20&t=hdRqtnbqYg5lAEpTdaP_-Q - Data brokers - https://twitter.com/CuratedIntel/status/1498025285572247554?s=20&t=hdRqtnbqYg5lAEpTdaP_-Q - Google Disable Live Maps in Ukraine: https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-alphabet-idCAKBN2KX036 - Collating statements/actions (Anna Rogers): https://twitter.com/annargrs/status/1497670943434366976?s=20&t=FSVCxQuWc84O1cseA0FHQw - Splinternet: - https://twitter.com/MichaelVSmith3/status/1498410734262255616?s=20&t=ru8pyMQAi04tAKR1NItcTg - Konstantin, ICANN - https://twitter.com/kkomaitis/status/1498638533740871690?s=20&t=KXvkWz4iKOrlej152rC7Pg - Milton Mueller post: https://www.internetgovernance.org/2022/03/01/icann-ukraine-and-leveraging-internet-identifiers/ - Niels Tennoever - https://twitter.com/nielstenoever/status/1498646355073552384?s=20&t=1JcVRNTHLCtnSrMXIJVVUQ - Namecheap - [](https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/1/22956581/russia-ukraine-namecheap-ends-service-war-crimes) - Misinformation, - Laura Edelson : https://twitter.com/LauraEdelson2/status/1498742294056472578?s=20&t=KXvkWz4iKOrlej152rC7Pg - UCWIP - Starbird + SIFT : https://www.cip.uw.edu/2022/02/24/fog-of-war-russia-ukraine/ - M B Petersen on propaganda literature: https://twitter.com/M_B_Petersen/status/1499377808740700161?s=20&t=TU09dsCnl7dPaGhzc2WH0w %% ## Related Notes ## Colophon %% title:: rus-uk-plat type:: [[output]] tags:: url:: file:: creator:: Prateek Waghre %% created:: 2022-03-04 status:: [[bean]]