Comment by lykahb
2 years ago
Any large business in Russia cannot exist independently of the state - even if the relationship is informal. Particularly, if the company is related to mass media and surveillance. Yandex is a state-controlled company even if the legal structure doesn't indicate this.
I would interpret this divestment as Russian intention to use Yandex as a tool for doing foreign influence, similar to RT or their social networks manipulation. It should be sanctioned.
> Any large business in Russia cannot exist independently of the state
Not unlike other countries... Particularly the ones that boast freedom.
> > Any large business in Russia cannot exist independently of the state
Meanwhile US congress is 100% captured by corporate interests, especially the arms industry.
Yeah I can't imagine the Russian police state passing up on eavesdropping on all search and activity there, it's simply too valuable as an intelligence asset and there is nothing that any yandex employees residing in Russia could do about it without risking being imprisoned/disappeared
We set a good example with our NSA data center in Utah siphoning off the data of all Americans.