New MJRC Publication: Technology, the Public Sphere and Journalism in Russia

The Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) has released today Technology, the Public Sphere and Journalism in Russia, a new country study authored by Leonardo Ingannamorte and edited by Marius Dragomir as part of MJRC’s ongoing Media Influence Matrix project.

The report offers a detailed analysis of how Russia’s digital transformation has reshaped its information ecosystem—from the early spread of the Internet in the 2000s to the consolidation of a tightly managed and politically subordinated online environment by the mid-2020s. It traces three major trajectories in this evolution: the rapid diffusion of digital technologies and changes in media consumption; the rise and dominance of national tech conglomerates such as Yandex and VK; and the progressive expansion of state control over the digital sphere, culminating in the emergence of the so-called “sovereign Internet.”

The study shows how technological innovation in Russia has moved from an early promise of openness to a system that blends market logic with political compliance. Domestic platforms, once symbols of digital progress, have become key nodes in an ecosystem where algorithmic governance and infrastructural capture define what information citizens see. Meanwhile, despite near-universal Internet and smartphone penetration, the scope for critical debate continues to narrow as online visibility becomes increasingly shaped by state policy and corporate self-censorship.

Drawing on extensive data, regulatory analysis, and case studies of leading platforms, the report offers insights into the relationship between technology, media power, and authoritarian adaptation. It also highlights how users, journalists, and developers continue to seek alternative spaces for expression—most notably through Telegram and VPN networks—revealing the resilience of digital publics even under tightening control.

This publication is part of MJRC’s Media Influence Matrix, a global research program mapping the interplay of technology, politics, and media systems in more than 50 countries. The Matrix examines how digital infrastructures, market structures, and policy frameworks shape journalism and public communication in the digital age.

The full Russia report is available here. The Russia page in the Media Influence Matrix is available here.

Photo by Petter Lagson on Unsplash