Russia is building the internet Putin always wanted
Summary
This episode explores how the Kremlin is dismantling Russia's open internet to suppress dissent, using internet outages and state-controlled infrastructure to create a digital Iron Curtain. It examines the role of figures like Prigozhin and Navalny in exposing the regime's vulnerabilities before their deaths. The segment also covers recent tech news, including the launch of the US government's AI chatbot, the Pentagon's new autonomous warfare command, and a Utah startup's plan to power data centers with nuclear reactors.
Topics discussed
Intro: Russia's shift from open internet to control
Sponsorships and show introduction
Victory Day parade and mass internet outages
Historical context: Putin's early media control strategy
Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mutiny threat
Alexei Navalny and the online opposition movement
The drone excuse for internet crackdowns
Sponsorships and break
Impact of outages on daily life and payments
State-controlled routers and proprietary AI
Blocking social media and the new 'Max' app
Legal crackdowns and resistance from lawyers
Public pushback and the new digital Iron Curtain
Cyber Daily promotion
US government AI chatbot America.gov launch
Pentagon's new Autonomous Warfare Command
Nuclear power proposals for AI data centers
Libraries offering workshops to disable AI
Credits and final sponsorships
Listen ad-free on Castria