Media Control and Citizen-Critical Publics in Russia: Are Some “Pigs” More Equal Than Others?

Media and Communication

article

Rashid Gabdulhakov¹ 

[1] Centre for Media and Journalism Studies, University of Groningen

关键词: authoritarian publics;    digital vigilantism;    Foucauldian discourse analysis;    Hrushi Protiv;    internet control;    Russia;    socialjustice;   

DOI  :  10.17645/mac.v9i4.4233

学科分类：医学（综合）

来源: Cogitatio Press

【 摘 要 】

Amid the intensification of state control over the digital domain in Russia, what types of online activism are tolerated oreven endorsed by the government and why? While entities such as the Anti‐Corruption Foundation exposing the stateare silenced through various tactics such as content blocking and removal, labelling the foundation a “foreign agent,” anddeeming it “extremist,” other formations of citizens using digital media to expose “offences” performed by fellow citizensare operating freely. This article focuses on a vigilante group targeting “unscrupulous” merchants (often ethnic minoritiesand labour migrants) for the alleged sale of expired produce—the Hrushi Protiv. Supported by the government, HrushiProtiv participants survey grocery chain stores and open‐air markets for expired produce, a practice that often escalatesinto violence, while the process is filmed and edited to be uploaded to YouTube. These videos constitute unique media prod‐ucts that entertain the audience, ensuring the longevity of punitive measures via public exposure and shaming. Relying onLitvinenko and Toepfl’s (2019) application of Toepfl’s (2020) “leadership‐critical,” “policy‐critical,” and “uncritical” publicstheory in the context of Russia, this article proposes a new category to describe state‐approved digital vigilantes—citizen‐critical publics. A collaboration with such publics allows the state to demonstrate a façade of civil society activism amid itssilencing; while state‐approved participants gain financial rewards and fame. Through Foucauldian discourse analysis, thearticle reveals that vulnerable groups such as labour migrants and ethnic minorities could fall victim to the side effects ofthis collaboration.

【 授权许可】

CC BY