Did your friend send you that funny video about a dog self-isolating? Yeah, we saw it too. Now – if you are in Russia – stop sending so many funny memes!
That’s the message from Russia’s biggest telecoms provider, which has asked its users to stop sending funny coronavirus memes and viral videos, as the extra traffic might overload its network.
“Memes and keeping in good spirits are important, but it is important to be responsible about using content online,” MTS president Alexei Kornya said via the company’s website.
“I’m not saying you should stop watching films online or participate in video conferences for work,” he continued.
Kornya asked that Russians “refrain from sending around funny but ‘heavy’ videos via messengers to dozens of contacts,” which was slowing down the entire country’s internet.
MTS currently has 80 million customers and clients, and has seen a considerable increase in the amount of data being used, particularly in larger cities.
Currently, Russia does not have a mandatory lockdown but many companies have switched to work-from-home to reduce the risk of infection.
Internet user numbers have surged as face-to-face interactions have been reduced due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
Esquire now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit ‘Like’ on our Esquire Facebook page and ‘Follow’ on our @esquiremiddleeast Instagram and Twitter account.
