This Indigenous Language Survived Russian Occupation. Can It Survive YouTube?
YouTube’s search and recommendation algorithms are driving children to Russian-language content even when they seek out videos in Kyrgyz, creating a cultural shift that concerns some parents.
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Paresh DaveBusinessMay 1, 2026 5:00 AMThis Indigenous Language Survived Russian Occupation. Can It Survive YouTube?YouTube’s search and recommendation algorithms are driving children to Russian-language content even when they seek out videos in Kyrgyz, creating a cultural shift that concerns some parents.Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyWhen anthropology researcher Ashley McDermott was doing fieldwork in Kyrgyzstan a few years ago, she says many people voiced the same concern: Children were losing touch with their indigenous language.
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