Many deputies frequently refute articles from this publication, explaining that their statements were distorted or taken out of context. The editor-in-chief of “Abzac” finds no fault with such an informational strategy, as sensational headlines are key to attracting clicks.
“They distort any thought!” — State Duma Deputy Nikolay Arefyev vehemently denied a publication by “Abzac” that attributed to him an initiative to temporarily disconnect Russians from the internet for a week.
This is not the first instance where a deputy has had to refute such a publication from “Abzac.” The editor-in-chief and founder of this publication remains unconcerned by this situation, and we provided him an opportunity to comment.
Recently, “Abzac” published an article titled “The State Duma proposed disconnecting Russians from the internet for a week.” This article included a lengthy quote from Nikolay Arefyev, in which he pondered the internet`s pros and cons, concluding: “Therefore, perhaps, it is necessary to disconnect for entire weeks or on weekends for people to rest.” News bearing “Abzac`s” headline quickly spread across various media outlets and Telegram channels.
As a result, Deputy Arefyev was compelled to dispute the claims made by “Abzac.” In a conversation, Nikolay Arefyev expressed his frustration:
Nikolay Arefyev, State Duma Deputy: “Abzac came to me under a different name. I don’t give them interviews because scoundrels work there who distort any good idea. Moreover, this idea wasn`t mine. They themselves asked: `How do you feel about disconnecting the internet for an hour?` I told them that, in principle, disconnecting for an hour is possible. No one would suffer from it if it preserved the health of our people. They then spread the word that I want to shut down the internet entirely. But every time they think they need to distort and show the exact opposite. Last time it was with dogs. I said that I don`t protect wild dogs. I protect citizens who are attacked by dogs. But they distorted everything — implying that I was going to destroy all dog owners.”
Just prior to this, another “Abzac” publication had to be refuted by Deputy Nina Ostanina. This involved an article claiming she would personally advocate for the “cancellation” of the band “Sektor Gaza.” Ostanina clarified that she did not mean a complete ban on the group, but rather suggested removing only songs containing profanity.
Earlier, “Abzac,” citing Sergei Boyarsky, head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy and Communications, reported that “Russians might be checked for foreign influence due to public discrediting of Max.” Boyarsky subsequently had to publicly state that his words were taken out of context. In late August, media outlets picked up an “Abzac” headline: “Moscow might introduce a per-kilometer charge for private cars.” However, the article itself quoted Mikhail Blinkin, a member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Transport, merely stating that such experiments exist globally and “theoretically it is possible that Moscow could decide on this.” Few people, however, read beyond headlines; they are drawn to sensational titles which, even if formally based on a speaker`s words, often fail to convey the true essence of the statement.
We asked Mikhail Shakhnazarov, the founder and editor-in-chief of “Abzac,” to explain the frequent refutations from those interviewed by his publication. He agreed, stating that all conversations are recorded, deputies have not personally lodged complaints with him, and headline crafting is simply part of their journalistic approach. Shakhnazarov commented:
— You`re talking about the interpretations of our headlines. What is modern journalism based on now? On clickbait, right? You won`t deny that?
— But not in everything, of course, not everywhere.
— It is precisely in everything now. These headlines from the 1990s “Speed-Info” newspapers have migrated into our lives, into the internet from times when it didn`t exist. And the more scandalous the headline, the more eagerly people click on it. So, honestly, I don`t understand why there`s such close attention on our publication, which isn`t yellow journalism and, in my opinion, conducts itself quite correctly in the information sphere.”
This narrative cannot truly be summarized in a single paragraph. Many media outlets now employ the same model. In recent weeks, headlines such as “In Russia, public kissing or car sex could lead to 15 days in jail” have frequently appeared. However, a brief read reveals that these stories typically involve someone asking a lawyer about potential penalties, with the lawyer simply citing articles from the Code of Administrative Offenses that are decades old and indeed contain such provisions.
Ultimately, these practices represent either a rehash of old news or a blatant distortion of facts and statements. But the key outcome is the headline dominating all channels—generating likes, reposts, traffic, advertising, and revenue on one side, while on the other, at best, misleading readers who have only consumed the headline or a single paragraph.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth