Translated material
Experts confirm that YouTube has begun to be artificially slowed down in Russia
An information security specialist under the pseudonym ValdikSS confirmed that the slowdown of YouTube in Russia is due to deliberate actions by the authorities, and not to equipment wear and tear or a technical error, as Rostelecom claimed. As the expert writes on the technical forum ntc.party , providers are deliberately slowing down YouTube on the *.googlevideo.com domain.
According to ValdikSS, he found a link to a file in Google's infrastructure that can be accessed using different domain names. According to the measurements published by the expert, when accessing via the technical domain *.googlevideo.com, the speed of video playback slows down significantly. On some providers, the speed of access to the Youtube domain was less than 2% of the usual.
Since the file is not related to YouTube , the slowdown cannot be related to the operation of Google Global Cache equipment, which is located in the networks of providers and stores requested videos closer to users, without downloading them each time from European and American servers. Earlier today, Rostelecom claimed that problems with access to YouTube are related precisely to the wear and tear of this equipment.
To bypass the slowdown, users from Russia can use regular blocking bypass tools, such as VPN, as well as special tools to bypass TSPU, such as GoodbyeDPI .
The idea of YouTube slowing down due to alleged equipment wear and tear, as noted by the Agency, was also voiced today by state television channels. For example, NTV reported that until February 2022, “even a small Russian regional operator” could order Google Global Cache. However, now, due to sanctions, Google has stopped sending its equipment to Russia.
"The servers that remain in Russia will physically wear out, and the content will become more and more. And first, the quality of YouTube will deteriorate in the regions, and then overloads will begin in Moscow and St. Petersburg," NTV correspondent Denis Talalaev summed up.
In December 2023, ComNews reported that the number of Google Global Cache servers operating in Russia had indeed decreased from approximately 700 to 450.
A source close to the presidential administration told Gazeta.ru that YouTube could be completely blocked in Russia in the fall. According to the source, “there will be some degradation in July-August,” and the service will be completely blocked in September.