Information Manipulation and Material Co- optation in Pension Reform: Autocratic Survival Strategies in Russia

Every political leader is faced with the task of retaining his or her po- sition in power. Co-optation is one of the broad methods dictators have at their disposal to counteract the dangers of being overturned. The emergence of the Internet and Communication Technologies (ICT) last two decades has provided autocrats with another repertory of techniques: information manipula- tion. I employ a vast collection of Russian-language news in 2018, along with government-provided social support utilities data, to study the Russian gov- ernment's information manipulation strategies upon major policy change. The findings suggest that information manipulation is a pervasive and powerful tool that is used in autocratic survival, and not only serves as a key tactic but also interacts with conventional survival strategies, such as material co-optatio