Commentary
The prospect of a total block on Russia’s most popular messaging app has sparked disagreement between the regime’s political managers and its security agencies.
Andrey Pertsev
Research
Build Agent Advocates, Not Platform Agents
Language model agents could reshape how users navigate and act in digital environments. If controlled by platform companies, platform agents could intensify surveillance, exacerbate user lock-in, and further entrench the incumbent digital giants.
Published on May 7, 2025
About the Authors
Seth Lazar
Nonresident Scholar, Technology and International Affairs Program
Seth Lazar is a nonresident scholar in the Carnegie Technology and International Affairs Program.
Sayash Kapoor
Co-author,
AI Snake Oil
Noam Kolt
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
- Blocking of Telegram App Sparks Rare Public Rift Among Russia’s Elites
- Why Did Messaging App Telegram Fall From Grace in Russia?Commentary
The history of Telegram’s relations with the Russian state offers a salutary lesson for international platforms that believe they can reach a compromise with the Kremlin.
Maria Kolomychenko
- How Will the Loss of Starlink and Telegram Impact Russia’s Military?Commentary
With the blocking of Starlink terminals and restriction of access to Telegram, Russian troops in Ukraine have suffered a double technological blow. But neither service is irreplaceable.
Maria Kolomychenko
- Russia’s Cyberfraud Epidemic Is Now a Political IssueCommentary
For years, the Russian government has promoted “sovereign” digital services as an alternative to Western ones and introduced more and more online restrictions “for security purposes.” In practice, these homegrown solutions leave people vulnerable to data leaks and fraud.
Maria Kolomychenko
- How Far Will the Kremlin Take Its Internet Crackdown?Commentary
In an attempt to stop Ukrainian drones from reaching their targets, the Russian authorities have significantly ramped up online repression.
Maria Kolomychenko
