Deputy says Duma in no discussion to mute YouTube

MOSCOW, Jan 19 (PRIME) -- The Russian parliament’s lower house State Duma is not discussing disconnection of YouTube, Yevgeny Popov, deputy chairman of the house’s information policy committee, told PRIME late on Wednesday.

“As far as I know, at the State Duma, in our committee, the matter of closing YouTube is not being considered. At the current stage, there are no such plans…I would not want to see the whole platform disappear, I am against muting of YouTube, to put it directly. The position of the Digital Development Ministry is also against it, as far as I know,” Popov said.

But many YouTube videos violate the Russian law. “However, we should not make a decision that can worsen or degrade the quality of life of the people,” he added.

The parliamentarian also said that Russia does not have now an alternative high-tech platform able to replace YouTube fully.

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