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Tuesday, 6 March, 2001, 20:56 GMT
Putin declares himself 'lazy' surfer
![]() Putin: An internet paddler rather than a surfer?
President Vladimir Putin has made history with his BBC News Online webcast - but revealed himself to be a lazy internet user.
Mr Putin - whose predecessor didn't even have an office computer - became the first Russian leader to go live on the internet, in an hour-long live forum from inside the Kremlin. But as Mr Putin stressed his belief in the internet's future and importance - he revealed his own habit of relying on his advisers to surf for him.
"Unfortunately, I do not make much use of it myself because of inbred laziness," he added with a wry smile. Mr Putin pointed out that he had other sources of information - including advisers who did use the internet heavily, indeed so heavily that limits have been put on their time spent online.
Mr Putin faced a critical question from a Russian internet user complaining that his presidential website was not up to standard - a charge to which the president readily entered a plea of guilty. "I am not a specialist. I like the site, but I think it can be better and we can agree right now to call a contest to see how it can be changed for the better," he said. He said details of the terms of entry would be posted on the website itself. Internet infancy The webcast was conducted by BBC News Online and two Russian websites, which between them received 24,000 e-mailed questions from readers. BBC correspondent Bridget Kendall, who put the BBC News Online questions to the president, says agreeing to the interview was something of a gamble for Kremlin aides, but they saw it as a chance to boost Mr Putin's image and show off Russia's hi-tech skills. Mr Putin has been keen to develop the use of the internet in Russia, where it is still in its infancy. Nearly a quarter of all Russians have apparently never even heard of the internet.
At the G8 summit in Okinawa last year, he surprised some world leaders by suggesting they communicate by e-mail.
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