GORKI. Aug 10 (Interfax) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called against overestimating the importance of the opinion of the Internet community on current events, adding that the majority of citizens live "offline, not online."

file photo"Direct communication with people cannot be replaced by anything. You said we all love the Internet, and that's true, the Internet is the Internet. Those who believe the Internet is everything are very wrong. We all live offline, if I can use Internet terminology. It's a much more interesting world, and it's a real world with its problems," Medvedev said during a meeting with the candidates for the post of the head of the United Russia central executive committee.

Medvedev said people often have "a distorted picture of United Russia and the political situation and public life in general."

"Phantom things come to the foreground and you get the feeling that the whole country is thinking only about that. I won't say what I mean, you know what I mean," Medvedev said.

Medvedev proposed to open any website, an opposition or a pro-state one, and look at the issues addressed. "If you look at them, you get the feeling that that's all we are doing. We are not doing it, we don't care about it, I mean all citizens of the country, with the exception of a very narrow group of people," he said.

At the same time, Medvedev reiterated that this does not mean that these issues do not exist, but "there is a need to distinguish between a real agenda from an Internet agenda, which, however, has to be monitored as well."

Medvedev said it is desirable to be energetic in the Internet space because it is more difficult for United Russia to be in the Internet than for any other political force because United Russia is a ruling party.

"You said you have reached out to people and it was very tough at the beginning because people were criticizing and letting the steam out. I have the same situation. At the beginning people are glad, and then they start talking about the negative things. And then they start saying this has to be done and this has to be done," Medvedev said.

Keywords: Russia, Media, Internet - Russian News - Russia - Johnson's Russia List

GORKI. Aug 10 (Interfax) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called against overestimating the importance of the opinion of the Internet community on current events, adding that the majority of citizens live "offline, not online."

file photo"Direct communication with people cannot be replaced by anything. You said we all love the Internet, and that's true, the Internet is the Internet. Those who believe the Internet is everything are very wrong. We all live offline, if I can use Internet terminology. It's a much more interesting world, and it's a real world with its problems," Medvedev said during a meeting with the candidates for the post of the head of the United Russia central executive committee.

Medvedev said people often have "a distorted picture of United Russia and the political situation and public life in general."

"Phantom things come to the foreground and you get the feeling that the whole country is thinking only about that. I won't say what I mean, you know what I mean," Medvedev said.

Medvedev proposed to open any website, an opposition or a pro-state one, and look at the issues addressed. "If you look at them, you get the feeling that that's all we are doing. We are not doing it, we don't care about it, I mean all citizens of the country, with the exception of a very narrow group of people," he said.

At the same time, Medvedev reiterated that this does not mean that these issues do not exist, but "there is a need to distinguish between a real agenda from an Internet agenda, which, however, has to be monitored as well."

Medvedev said it is desirable to be energetic in the Internet space because it is more difficult for United Russia to be in the Internet than for any other political force because United Russia is a ruling party.

"You said you have reached out to people and it was very tough at the beginning because people were criticizing and letting the steam out. I have the same situation. At the beginning people are glad, and then they start talking about the negative things. And then they start saying this has to be done and this has to be done," Medvedev said.