Inside Russia's Creepy, Innovative Internet

2016, Technology  -   16 Comments
6.98
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Ratings: 6.98/10 from 64 users.

In the world of internet technologies, Russia is giving Silicon Valley a run for its money. The documentary Inside Russia's Creepy, Innovative Internet, produced by Bloomberg as part of their Hello World series, takes a tour through some of the country's most cutting-edge efforts, and the figures who make it all possible.

The journey begins with Dmitry Grishin, the co-founder of a Russian internet corporation called the Mail.Ru Group. Grishin's real passions lie in robotic gadgetry, and his work runs the gamut from drone-driven shipping technologies to the BB8 character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. These accomplishments have garnered the adoration of other giants from his field who reside in the United States who are all clamoring for his particular brand of invention. But given the rise of tech entrepreneurship currently taking place in his homeland, he feels compelled to remain where he is for the time being.

The spirit of innovation has led to the creation of many tech start-up companies in the region. Several of these are profiled in the film, including endeavors related to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. While the talents behind these efforts are progressive in their approach to the possibilities of technology, they often find themselves at odds with a government that monitors their every move. The Kremlin has set forth a series of laws that restrict the freedom of the creators, and they've put equally prohibitive walls around their country's virtual activities.

Historically, Russia has fallen far behind the rest of the world in their adoption of the internet. The film shows us how this all changed in 2012 when the web became a galvanizing forum for protestors to express their opposition to the re-election of President Vladmir Putin. In response, the government began exterminating these opposition sites, and worked tirelessly to recreate the internet experience only in the image they chose to project. The film shines a spotlight on the hacking community that attempts to thwart these oppressive tactics, and the large cybersecurity firms who walk a tightrope between serving international clients and occasionally bending to the will of their government.

Inside Russia's Creepy, Innovative Internet provides an intriguing look inside a landscape where this generation's tech revolutionaries struggle to thrive within the confines of an oligarchy.

Directed by: Ashlee Vance

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16 Comments / User Reviews

  1. Gary

    Currently Dimitry has made the move to Silicon valley where even facebook janitors own Tesla's...LOL

  2. Gary

    Dimitry doesnt move to Silicon valley cause hes doing quite well offering AMerican knockoffs in his own country...LOL

  3. Wilbur

    Nothing more creeper that US intent and their trolls harvesting anything they c@n use against you,

  4. KayJay

    This documentary only made me respect Russia even more... It is obvious propaganda to try and portray them as some evil empire on the rise, but all it did was shine light on the fact that Russia is becoming more westernized, innovative, independent, and competitive on the world stage. It shows how Moscow is becoming a 21st century city, with great restaurants and capitalistic opportunity. It shows that the government is investing in its own country, rather than droning innocent people in others. It shows that they have a strong nationalistic pride, with much talent and tenacity to go with it.

  5. Prodromos

    The use of the word oligarch , in this video, shows they don't understand what it means.
    Other than that, and maybe some personal judgements, it is a very useful doc, showing aspects out of the ordinary.

  6. D.Master

    Obviously this documentary is a propaganda video for the US against Russia. Not saying everything is a lie, but it is extremely biased documentary.

  7. Erickson

    Well, I think the message is clear. Russians engineers are brilliant. They are producing some amazing products since years ago. Along with the Chinese giants like Baiduu, America is well behind in innovation and technology. That's a fact.
    It is not only AI, robotics and cyber cryptography; it is everything. All start with a solid education in mathematics and science. Something lacking in many schools and universities in United States.

    1. Gary

      your comments are staggering with ignorance... this guy even detailed in this documentary... Dimitry...is raking it in selling absolute knockoffs of American technology.... Just how do you get this absolute clueless? LOL

  8. DustUp

    Cry babies can't handle this or that about the video, unrelated to subject matter. Product of usa emotional reactionary socialist indoctrination education system. Dial 1-800-WAA-AAAH

    The guy never said that it wasn't happening elsewhere. Even indicated it was. Typically the guilty to claim "that guy was speeding too..." The subject was Russia at the moment.

    The claim that the west or usa is in technical decline is from ignorance or commie troll.

    The only problem usa has is an overbloated govt trying to be more like Russia's govt controlling everyone. Problem, reaction, solution. Create a situation where there is less opportunity causing more crime, then usher in more supposed crime fighting tech which is used to monitor and control people.

    When the real problem was the opposite, PEOPLE FAILING TO MONITOR AND CONTROL GOVT.

    What spawns hackers or crime beyond the normal number of criminals that will always exist and defy? Lack of opportunity. If russia had no oil to sell, it could not have afforded to renovate its tech program. How about non collectivists countries? Their tech will advance just fine w/o selling oil as long as some socialist-communist doesn't fool enough of the people to get elected and run the economy into the ground = Clinton, Bush, and Obama. Thereby having few opportunities to sell the new tech, when everyone is hurting.

    It seems the point was that since Putin controls the country's wallet, he wants tech to benefit him. Sadly there were so many willing to chase down those against such control by Putin. Likely there are other docu's warning of the privacy issues in western countries or at least the usa. Just because some outfit from russia won a google face recognition challenge doesn't mean there isn't equal or better of such in some agency hands here.

    The take away for me was a reminder to stay vigilant against govt intrusion under the guise of crime or terrorism. False flag ops to convince the bobble head TV propagandized masses that giving up freedoms for security is necessary, has been exposed. Problem is people prefer to believe the propaganda simply because they don't like the implications about THEIR govt. Sad.

  9. bungabunga

    the notion that this orwellian activity is not happening throughout all western countries is absolutely laughable.
    bloomberg, they're legit.

  10. Frank

    Good topic ruined by disjointed music and one octave narrative.Unwatchable.

  11. Stefan

    I don't like the arrogant narrator... FB, Google etc. all rely heavily on well-educated russian engineers. Prisma and others show real innovation. The US is in a decline, and such programs are somehow a reflection of the fear of losing power. And btw: Google sells robots to the US army, Zuckerberg dines with the president etc... ever mentioned that in such a pretentious way?

    1. Gary

      Over half of Silicon Valley is employed by Indians.... Chinese...and other smaller typical asian countrys ..NOT russians... look it up.... then theres the Japanese and Koreans who "play online games" LMAO

  12. Parvez Malik

    Much worse happening in Trump America. Both digging their own graves.

  13. pf

    One of the best docs I've seen. Very informative and well done.

  14. George Fisher

    Excellent and fascinating!