Duma committee refuted rumors of a possible Google block in Russia

Russian outlets depict the authorities as managing the digital space through legal instruments while explicitly denying any immediate plan to block Google. They attribute rumors about a Google ban to speculation and emphasize that decisions on foreign platforms are made deliberately, not as part of a blanket crackdown. The expected outcome is to reassure users and businesses that Google services remain accessible for now, even as the state retains the option of future restrictions.

• •Russian lawmakers, including Anton Gorelkin, assert that there are currently no plans to block Google in Russia despite public debate.
• •The State Duma Committee on Information Policy positions itself as the competent body to evaluate and, if necessary, initiate measures against foreign digital platforms.
• •Discussions about the potential blocking of Google are framed as exploratory and legal-technical rather than as a prelude to imminent action.
• •The use of a meme by Gorelkin to address the Google-blocking rumors is presented as an attempt to downplay panic and signal that the situation is not escalating.
• •The confirmed ban on WhatsApp is portrayed as a separate, targeted decision that does not automatically extend to other major platforms like Google.