Leaked documents reveal that Russia’s federal media watchdog, Roskomnadzor, tasked its staff with protecting Vladimir Putin from derogatory memes and negative online publications. The agency employs thousands of people who monitor Putin’s online image for any activity that could be a threat to Putin and his image, including memes that portray him as a « bald dwarf, » a « crab, » or a « Hitler wannabe. » Staffers use Brand Analytics software to monitor media and social media and manually enter search terms to track down criticism of Putin online. The spooks are also working to crack down on suggestions that Putin’s health is failing. The goal of online surveillance is to quash unrest and maintain Putin’s popularity. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Roskomnadzor has been cracking down on any instances of dissent against the invasion, and those who protest the war in public face up to 15 years in prison.
in Russie