Russia demands Google restore access to its media YouTube channels in Ukraine
reuters.com
reuters.com
The people in Ukraine, though, are already aware of Putin bombing them, with or without YouTube.
Go ahead and demand away. Have fun with that. Get in line behind all of the other people who have grievances against Google.
I'm sure (or at least I hope) governments have some super-secret way of getting Big G's attention. But I entertain a vision of someone in the Russian government futilely Googling "Google customer service phone number."
Showing results for "GAZPROM customer service phone number"
Before servicing your request, we'll need you to enter your stand down code, followed by the pound sign. LOOP
Unfortunately, the great mass of any viewing public lacks the necessary filtering skills to extract useful signal from the torrent of disinformation. So we're back to blanket censorship.
I'm sure you wouldn't want anything to happen to your nice friends, relatives, and Google/Alphabet employees. I can assure you that they will remain completely safe, particularly if they are in Russia. If you could put in a good word to restore our propaganda channels, it would be greatly appreciated.
-Vladimir
He and Larry have control over Google with an interesting incorporation clause that allows them to basically override the board and make decisions for reasons other than money.
AFAIK, if he got mad enough (say, something happened to his family) Google can volunteer to help help Ukraine procure weapons (providing a channel), fund them [with or without private cash from the founders], and go all in.
Pepsi was once the 6th largest military in the world, and they are a fraction of Google in clout, cash, and connections.
(And there is precedent - Rockerfeller once told FDR that he could fund an army larger than FDR's, in the infamous Wall Street Putsch)
He also is friends with Sundar, Elon and Richard etc. The clique of the "super rich" have some 70% of all U.S. money, and over 10% of all the world's wealth.
While I don't see that happening, this is war. Nothing should be taken off the table. (Not comparable, but an example: no one expected BP to walk away from a 25B deal till yesterday.)
EDIT: Aside for that, Goog has engineers that would have a field day hacking into Russian infrastructure, government and military. Especially considering that they can basically MITM anything; between their DNS, their certs, Android, Chrome, the fact that all their software has a silent process always running and able to apply updates, etc.
In addition, any of these steps would be loudly applauded, and he could probably parley that into government cash, goodwill, favors etc.
In fact, the more I think about it, the less far fetched this sounds. I highly doubt Putin will risk starting up with Brinn.
Centralized : Dailymotion, Bitchute, Rumble, DTube, Vimeo, Vidlii, DLive, Triller
Decentralized : Odysee(LBRY), Peertube
So playing Googl.. sorry, playing devil's advocate: What are the upsides?
Now that's two people, Microsoft nearly 200k, McDonald's closing in on 2 million. They're not the Borg Collective, and whether you like it or not, they're no longer just American.