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Story perspectives

Moscow's Internet Outages Spark Surge in Alternative Communication Tools

3/13/2026

36 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Moscow has experienced internet outages since March 3, leading to daily losses of $12.5 million and prompting demand for alternative communication tools.
Sales of pagers rose by 73% between March 6 and March 10.
Sales of radios rose by 27% between March 6 and March 10.
Sales of landline phones rose by 25% between March 6 and March 10.
The Kremlin claims the restrictions are for security, with no details provided.

History

Historical Context

The Great Firewall of China, established in 2003, exemplifies state control over internet access, impacting communication and commerce. In 2023, Moscow's internet outages led to daily losses of $12.5 million, prompting a rise in alternative communication tools. This reflects China's historical censorship tactics, highlighting the ongoing struggle between state security and public access to information in authoritarian regimes.

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Story summary

Moscow has experienced internet outages since March 3, leading to daily losses of $12.5 million and prompting demand for alternative communication tools.
Sales of pagers rose by 73% between March 6 and March 10.
Sales of radios rose by 27% between March 6 and March 10.
Sales of landline phones rose by 25% between March 6 and March 10.
The Kremlin claims the restrictions are for security, with no details provided.

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