Photo: Alexander Shalgina
The first deputy chairman of the Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications Vadim Dengin (LDPR) sent To contact “Yandex” and Roscomnadzor with requirements to assess the work of the Ukrainian version of the popular domestic search engine (yandex.ua). Dissatisfaction with the legislator was the fact that the Ukrainian version of “Yandex” in the aggregation of news content allows users to demonstrate anti-Russian articles that, in his opinion, it is unacceptable for sites belonging to the Russian company, though incorporated in the Netherlands.
In particular, the deputy noted that the news section of the Ukrainian “Yandex” comes articles and notes Ukrainian media, which allow for mass falsification of information and contain direct attacks against Russia. According to him, yandex.ua users can read the resource and about the Russian aggression, and about the actions of the Russian army in eastern Ukraine, and other unsubstantiated information.
So, on September 3 in the top 5 of the Ukrainian “Yandex” has been the news that “Russian troops occupied the Luhansk region.” At the same time, the Russian version of “Yandex” has reported that “militants took control of the south of Luhansk region.” Despite the fact that “Yandex” – first of all search engine, news, which he places on the main page, they see several million people a day. In June this year the average daily attendance of the Ukrainian version of “Yandex” was slightly more than 3.8 million visitors.
– For me, to be honest, it’s surprising that the company “Yandex” works and earns in Russia, showing good income and contains a huge staff, and yet allows for certain things. Perhaps this question is because of the large number of tasks they do not have time to check, but I hope that in the near future it will be eliminated, – said Vadim Dengin. – That’s why I considered it appropriate to apply to himself “Yandex” and Roscomnadzor. The company itself, I ask to explain why this situation has arisen, and to Roskomnadzor – to analyze its origin and possible legal consequences.
It should be noted that this is not the first claim to “Yandex” in relation to different feeding information to his Russian and Ukrainian versions. After the annexation of Crimea company “Yandex” has created two versions of cards: one – where the Russian Crimea – by yandex.ru, another – for Ukrainian users, where the peninsula is still celebrated as the territory of Ukraine.
Member of the State Duma Defense Committee Igor Zotov also believes that the Russian owners of the company should be responsible for the work of the Ukrainian version of “Yandex».
– I support the initiative my colleagues from the Committee on Information Policy, as any Russian company should be responsible for its subsidiaries. Founders must monitor and guide their colleagues, especially in matters related to the Internet as one of the main channels of information today, shaping public sentiment, – said the parliamentarian.
«- the largest player in the Russian IT -otrasli, whose main asset is
- Internet search engine (the proportion of “Yandex” in the Russian search market
systems is 61.6%, the share of its nearest competitor Google – 28,3%).
In addition to the Russian market, the company is represented in Turkey, Ukraine,
Belarus and Kazakhstan. Sole owner of the LLC “Yandex” (which
belongs to a search engine) is registered in the Netherlands
company Yandex NV . She also belongs to the company “Yandex.
Ukraine “. One of the largest shareholders of “Yandex” (10.4%) was
former CEO Arkady Volozh, who recently left his post.
Among its shareholders are dominated by foreign investment funds, among
which Oppenheimer (13,9%) and Capital Group (13,0%). Shares of “Yandex”
traded on NASDAQ and the Russian MICEX. Sberbank
belongs to the “golden share” of “Yandex”. In the summer of 2013, Sberbank bought 75% minus one share of service electronic payment system “Yandex».
In the company “Yandex” has noted that they themselves are not Russian and international companies and service “Yandex.News” shows in each country exactly the picture of the day, which is formed by the local media.
– «Yandex” has not received treatment deputies on this topic, but we want to recall a few facts … “Yandex” – an international company. We are currently working in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkey. Technology for all markets are the same. But for each of these countries, we develop our services so as to conform to the interests of local users, including, depending on their location. For example, the home page looks different users from different countries and cities. For some it yandex.ru, and for someone yandex.ua or yandex.com.tr. To “Yandex.News” also have different news outlets that show in each country exactly the picture of the day, which is formed by the local news media. The “Yandex.News” no editorial board and, accordingly, the editorial policy and its point of view, the service does not create their own materials, all of the information supply partners. By the same logic work and other services “Yandex” – for example, “Jam”, “weather”, “Calendar”, “TV Guide.” In Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Russia has its own news, weather, and their own TV shows – says the press-secretary of “Yandex” Asya Melkumova.
According to her, on www.yandex.ru news stories are formed on the basis of reports of Russian publications on yandex.ua – Ukrainian for yandex.kz – Kazakhstan, on yandex.by – Belarus on yandex.com.tr – Turkish.
– headings within each issue of “Yandex.News” ranked according to three
criteria: the sources cited in other reports of this story,
the time of publication, the total citation and efficiency of the source. In fact, the top 5 news on the main page form themselves partners
“Yandex.News” – the main page of “Yandex” get stories about the most
publicized events of the day, stories are generated automatically – says Melkumova.
In the Savings Bank, which holds a “golden share” of “Yandex”, told “Izvestia”, which is not involved in the information policy of the search engine.
– We are not followed, nor does it deal with the financial and economic issues of “Yandex”, as the “golden share” does not give the right to Sberbank on the board of the company, and hence on decisions within its competence, in particular affecting the company’s policy on areas of its activities and operations of the company in general – a spokesman for the Savings Bank Polina Trizonova. – In this case, the Savings Bank as the owner of the “golden share” has the right to block the sale of the company of its key assets.
Internet expert Anton Merkurov told “Izvestia”, the Ukrainian version of “Yandex” has no special mechanisms Regulatory news section.
– «Yandex.News” – a news aggregator. If in the case of “Yandex.Ukraine” anti-Russian news appear, it means that in Ukraine they are really the most readable, but “Yandex” here does not matter – the expert believes. – They have a platform does not even have the right to interfere in this process.
However, many industry participants believe the company is well positioned to influence the situation.
– «Yandex” can not ignore the position of the Russian state. When the CEO of “Yandex. Ukraine “Sergei Petrenko in his speech welcomed action nationalists in Odessa, which killed dozens of civilians, the company responded immediately, and the Petrenko resigned. In the case of news same, – said one of the market participants.
In the State Duma deputies status “Yandex.News” has raised questions. Deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party in the spring of Andrei Lugovoi sent a request to the Prosecutor General for
about “Yandex” with a request to clarify, is the media or not. The letter stated that “in the pages of” Yandex “published materials news and analytical nature, including materials from the leading Russian and foreign media.” This, according to Lugovoi, “is also a proliferation of mass media”, which means that the company “Yandex” “is the largest media and has a huge audience,” and must comply with the rules, “set for the media».
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