Russian president Vladimir Putin has said that Internet is a CIA project and Russians should be careful while making Google searches.
While speaking to a group of emerging journalists during a television event on Thursdays, Putin said that Internet was developed by the Central Intelligence Agency as a ‘’special project’’, reported by AFP News.
While replying to a question about Google searches, Putin said that:
Google’s web traffic goes through servers that are placed in the United States and they are monitor everything.
In response to a query from a fledgling pro-Kremlin blogger, Putin claimed that all the information retrieved through Google is monitored and processed by United States.
He also criticized Russia’s popular most search engine Yandex saying it should be alerted. Putin expressed his apprehension that reason for Yandex’s partial registration abroad is not just for tax reasons but due to fear of foreign take over also.
At Yandex debut Putin stated that they were forced to include, specific number of Americans and Europeans amongst the executives. He shouted out to the Russians to fight for their own benefits. He further added that the Government will play its due part, in the rebuilding and refrained from adding any details.
Yandex has 60% of search hits to its credit, and also holds a presence in many other countries, it allows user interface and search.
After Putin’s comments, Yandex shares fell over 4.3 percent on the NASDAQ. The company later explained that foreign registration is not done to avoid taxes but due to corporate law related issues in an internet venture that require foreign investment.
Yandex said that due to Russia being business hub, taxes are supposed to be paid only in Russia.
The internet freedom was the major point of discussion yet Russia recently indulged into contemplating a law that allows the government to block blacklisted sites without issuing a court order. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny had his blog blocked and a much visited news website sacked his editor and changed its policy after a warning from the government.
Russia also passed a new legislation in the same week which will force popular bloggers to register their websites and conform to a similar set of rules being a mass media.
The 61 year old president who is an avid internet user, once called it “half pornography” as opposed to Prime Minister Medvedev who tweets snaps of himself.
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