WHAT IS THE RUSSIAN FOR FACEBOOK? press releases about how productive the dialogue is which they are having with Facebook and Twitter, and how the heads of Facebook and Twitter have been flying to Russia to have talks with them. All the information on this topic is coming from Roskomnadzor. They have no authority to block the networks so, to keep smiling while playing a terrible hand, they issue infinite numbers of leaks and press releases to media who are on their side, about how everybody is flying in to see them. Mark Zuckerberg was in Russia when Dmitry Medvedev was president, and the president asked him to open an offshoot of Facebook in Russia. Zuckerberg replied that he saw no prospect of that happening. VA: He gave Poroshenko the same answer. AN: Yes, Poroshenko too. These people live in California and they observe the laws of California. It is highly unlikely they are going to start observing Russian laws. Their position is straightforward, and Russia’s position is very convoluted, because in Russia there are stacks of laws which say they must be punished, banned, unplugged, but no one has fired the starting pistol. VA: Why not? AN: Ask Putin. For him to give the go-ahead, someone has to persuade him that Facebook needs to be banned in Russia. VA: He’s convinced, isn’t he, that the Internet is a spawn of the CIA and still managed from Langley? AN: Well, yes, but he also said the directors of Yandex were appointed by the Americans, and he didn’t close them down. He says things, but for Facebook and Twitter to be shut down in Russia he has to give an order. He hasn’t done so. VA: So, perhaps a decision has been taken not to ban them? AN: These decisions are taken by one person. Today he thinks this way, but tomorrow he may change his mind and we won’t have Facebook. It all goes on inside one head, and what exactly is going on in there, nobody knows. VA: So, does that mean Russia has no policy on this issue? Or has it been decided not to slam this window shut unless they are forced to, to leave people some air? What good would it do them to shut down Facebook? They’re not going to be able to take it off Zuckerberg, are they? AN: Well, here we’re trying to read Putin’s mind. What is most likely is that he simply doesn’t know what Facebook is. How would he? He doesn’t have a Facebook account. He needs someone to give him a report that there is something called Facebook. Or Wikipedia. Or YouTube. He needs someone to come up with a report on the subject. But that person would need to have a goal. When someone comes to Putin and says, “We need to punish such-and-such a bank,” the aim is to help themselves to it. What good would it do them to shut Facebook down? They’re hardly going to be able to take it off Zuckerberg, are they? If nobody has a vested interest, nobody submits a report. 13