An Oasis for Russian Jokes

On April 1, the independent publication Важные истории (“Important Stories”) released an article presenting a brief study of current online humor. Its author, anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova, noted that Instagram reels have become a gray area where Russians can relax. 

The fact is that other formats and social networks popular in Russia are vulnerable to surveillance by state security services. VKontakte, for example, is completely controlled by the Kremlin, and on Telegram it is very easy use AI to find violators by analyzing large volumes of text. But popular Instagram Reels are not so easy to track – they have to be reviewed manually.

While Instagram has been blocked in Russia and was classified as an extremist organization four years ago, Russians can still use it via a VPN, which creates a certain secretive atmosphere in user's feeds. Moreover, the "reel" format is as intimate as possible, encouraging candor. Arkhipova even compared it to the cozy space of a Soviet smoking room, where, having moved a safe distance away from one's bosses, one could dare to tell a subversive joke. 

And, just like Soviet jokes, these videos do not directly condemn the authorities; they contain no calls to action or particularly bold statements. They merely wink, hint, and create a sense of consensus about what is happening. Namely: things are abnormal, and it should not be this way. 

One of the most popular topics for jokes in these videos is government surveillance of citizens on social media. For example, a teenager calls the FSB and asks them to remind him what his mom asked him to purchase. Blocking measures and the government’s supposed concern for public safety are also frequently mocked: a girl wants to show a video presentation titled “Reasons to Stay and Live in Russia,” but she can’t open the file because the buttons on her computer don’t work: “They’ve been blocked because terrorists are using them.” 

Arkhipova also highlights the large amount of sarcasm from small business owners, who are suffering huge losses due to myriad restrictions. There are, for example, many mocking jokes from a group not typically associated with protests: beauty salon employees. They film videos that show how they’re used unconventional ways to communicate with clients during internet blockages – the protagonist of one clip reminds people about their appointments via a building's intercom, while the heroine of another advertises her salon by throwing paper airplanes into windows.

How likely is it that the creators of such reels will face consequences for their actions? Arkhipova cites her own statistics from her 2022-23 study of 1,500 fines for anti-war statements on social media. Instagram accounted for the smallest share, about 7%, and these were linked to text analysis of Stories, not to words spoken in videos. And yet reels that garner tens of thousands of likes seem like a less safe place than a Soviet-era smoking room, which could not boast such a wide reach.