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The Russian government wants its own social networking site, but who will use it?

Photo courtesy of Evgeniy Isaev

Apparently, the Russian government plans to create its own Facebook-style social network.

Government minister Mikhail Abyzoz recently told a Russian paper that this new network will be built on an existing site, which allows users to post complaints about civil servants, reports The Guardian.

Users of the new site, which is set to go live this month, will reportedly be able to upload content and have discussions about issues of the day, much like Facebook.

But at least a few analysts are skeptical of its potential success. "If the government creates some form of social network, then people will not join it," Andrei Soldatov, an expert on Russia's security services and the Internet, told the paper.

According to The Guardian, the Kremlins foray into social media may be an attempt by the government to respond to anti-government activists.

Jillian D'Onfro is an editorial intern whose work has previously appeared in Making Music Magazine and Dig Boston, an alternative weekly newspaper.@jillianiles

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Russian Facebook? Kremlin Plans to Launch Social Networking Site