Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky has accused the U.S. government of financially supporting online streaming service Netflix to control the hearts and minds of people around the world, the Rambler news outlet reported Wednesday.
“The White House fully understands that through Netflix, they can get into every home, every television and then — into every head,” Medinsky said. “Do you think that these gigantic startups get going all by themselves? That if a student is sitting there with an idea that billions of dollars come raining down?”
Netflix, the world’s largest online television and film streaming service, became available in Russia in January 2016, with subscription costing between 649 and 949 rubles a month. In February, Russian media representatives and politicians came out in favor of extra regulation of foreign streaming services, demanding that Netflix should require a broadcasting license.
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