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Social networks pursue profit, 'do not give a damn' about users — Putin

According to the Russian president, quite often media platforms begin to inconspicuously foist whatever they please on their clients

NOVO-OGARYOVO, February 2. /TASS/. Social networks are often obsessed with profit drive and do not care about the damage they cause to users, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the laureates of the Teacher of the Year contest on Tuesday.

A teacher of mathematics from Adygea, Sergei Levchenko, told Putin it was essential to protect children from harmful content in the social networks.

"You have touched upon a very delicate and important issue. These platforms are about business first and foremost," Putin said. "Business is focused on profit drive, and, regrettably, very often this is done at any cost. They do not give a damn that certain content may harm its target groups."

Also, Putin said that quite often modern platforms were beginning to control people’s minds. "They just study their clients and begin to inconspicuously foist on them whatever they please. Consequently, people begin to make decisions being unaware they are being guided. This is a very delicate thing. I mentioned it just recently at the Davos World Economic Forum. Of course, we must give thought to it and react to it avoiding decisions that would restrict the freedom of people, the freedom of choice and the freedom of speech," Putin said.

He agreed with the teacher’s proposal that Russia’s yet-to-be developed service for communication between the teacher and students must be made on the basis of domestic software.