So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast

Ep. 208: Dodging censorship in Russia

Mar 14, 2024

The podcast delves into censorship in Russia, discussing Alexei Navalny's death, Putin's regime, and the anti-censorship platform Samizdat Online. They explore tactics to bypass censorship, potential threats to Putin, and ways to support freedom of expression against authoritarian regimes.

01:00:39

Creator website

Episode guests

Yevgeny Simkin

Stanislav Kucher

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Samizdat Online provides access to censored content in authoritarian regimes.

Putin's tactic of controlling information creates cynicism and blind loyalty.

Deep dives

The Slow Erosion of Freedom in Russia

Russia's transformation from a relatively free society to a police state has been a rapid and deliberate process over the past 20 years. Initially, Putin focused on controlling the media, gradually instilling fear and spreading propaganda that painted Russia as under siege by the West. Journalists in Russia made moral compromises, contributing to the erosion of freedom. Putin's message was to offer stability and appeal to Russian dignity, linking his political well-being to the country's self-importance.

Introduction

3min

Tragic Fate and Challenging Realities in Russian Prisons

11min

Navigating Censorship and Surveillance in Russia

21min

Russian Political Intrigue

4min

Analysis of a Character's Risky Decision and Loyalty Complexities

2min

Manipulation of Media and Nationalist Sentiments

14min

Analyzing Economic Success Under Authoritarian Regimes

3min

Supporting Democracy and Freedom of Expression Advocacy

3min

On today’s episode, we discuss Alexei Navalny’s death, Vladimir Putin, censorship in Russia, and Samizdat Online, an anti-censorship platform that grants users living under authoritarian regimes access to news and other censored content. Yevgeny “Genia” Simkin is the co-founder of Samizdat Online and Stanislav “Stas” Kucher is its chief content officer.

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction

2:25 Alexei Navalny

8:53 The state of Russian opposition

20:48 The origins of Samizdat Online

28:17 How does Samizdat Online circumvent censorship?

35:16 Could Yevgeny Prigozhin have overthrown Putin?

41:03 The progression of Putin’s regime

58:08 How can people help?

59:56 Outro

Show notes

Statement by Russian prison service on Alexei Navalny’s death