Russia launches its own version of Instagram, adding to its list of knockoff social media platforms
The Russian government has spent years attempting to either recreate or co-opt popular platforms. In 2014, VKontakte's founder Pavel Durov — often referred to in media as Russia's version of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg — wasafter the platform was being increasingly used by opposition groups against Putin.
VKontakte and OdnoKlassniki, often shortened to VK and OK, are still very entrenched in the lives of Russian people, Demus added, but they tend to be used with a"growing understanding that anything Russia touches has the potential to land you in jail."As in the United States, there is also a generational divide in how Russians use different social media platforms and the various demographics associated with each.
According to the Levada Center report, television is where most Russian people get their news, but its dominance is declining — dropping from 90% to 62% in five years. Younger generations are more likely to get their news on social media sites,to access sites that have been blocked by the government. The ability to use international platforms with less government control also results in access to media that's more critical of Putin and the Kremlin.
Younger people are less likely to believe Kremlin propaganda, Blankenship said, but are still susceptible to social media platforms reinforcing beliefs and narrowing the range of opinion they see.
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