Access Issues with YouTube in Russia: Problems, Prospects, and Economic Impact

On the morning of August 8, numerous users in Russia reported issues with the video service YouTube. According to "Sboy.pф," by midday there were approximately six thousand complaints about access problems with the platform, with 21% of these coming from Moscow. Similar issues were recorded on Downdetector, where around 1,300 users also reported disruptions.

Journalists from the portal DTF noted that videos were not loading in the YouTube mobile app on Android devices for MTS subscribers. These reports have raised questions about whether Russian authorities have succeeded in their goal of slowing down or completely blocking YouTube. The Kremlin had previously promised to start such measures in August due to the platform's non-compliance with Russian policies on banned media and coverage of the conflict in Ukraine.

Mikhail Klimarev, head of the Internet Protection Society, confirmed to the "Current Time" portal that the block may have already begun. "Many reports of YouTube being blocked are coming in, and this is not surprising. Russia has blocked thousands of websites already, so it is nothing new that YouTube could be blocked," he noted. Nevertheless, Klimarev urges calm and recommends using VPNs to bypass the restrictions.

"The first thing to do is not to panic. Panic does not help. There are many guides on how to use VPNs, and this is the best way to access blocked resources," he advises. Klimarev also recommended his own service and other tools for bypassing blocks, including using VPNs on "smart" TVs.

The use of VPNs in Russia has significantly increased since the onset of the war in Ukraine and the blocking of Instagram. Klimarev believes that the share of VPN users in the country may now exceed 50%. He also emphasizes that if Russians learn to bypass these blocks, it could lead to an awareness of the scale of censorship and access to independent information.

In addition to YouTube, Klimarev points out problems with other Google services, such as search, Gmail, and Google Docs. An especially serious issue has been the updating of Android applications, particularly in southern regions and occupied Crimea.

According to Klimarev, the block on YouTube is already causing significant economic damage, affecting not only telecom operators but also many related sectors. NetBlocks estimates that a complete shutdown of the internet in Russia could cost the economy about $400 million per day. The blockage of YouTube alone is estimated to cost around $23 million daily, surpassing the economic losses from attacks on oil storage facilities. This highlights the severe economic impact that blocking such key internet resources can have.