The Center for Countering Disinformation reported that the State Duma of the Russian Federation is considering the possibility of introducing mandatory verification of foreign toys, strengthening customs control, and providing subsidies to local producers under the slogan of 'traditional values.'
At a discussion with a telling title 'toys as a channel of hidden propaganda...' deputies assert that toys can be a tool of 'hybrid warfare' and divert children from love for their homeland. Therefore, they propose filtering international brands and marking certain lines as 'destructive' to create a censorship register of 'correct' images.
Russia continues its course towards total cultural censorship, which applies not only to films and games but also to children's toys. The authorities, under the guise of 'protecting children,' want to centralize control over content, turning the children's segment into a tool of ideological processing.
'Supporting domestic manufacturers' can only be a cover for redistributing budgets in favor of loyal contractors, - emphasized the Center for Countering Disinformation.
The issue of control over children's toys in Russia is becoming part of the overall trend of total cultural censorship, where the authorities are trying to regulate not only the media but also cultural products for children. Under the pretext of protection from negative external influence, restrictions are being implemented that can affect the development of children's imagination and creativity.