A new episode of the Global Voices podcast is devoted to the interaction between major technology companies and authoritarian regimes, using Belarus as a case study. The authors discuss why Belarusian authorities, unlike their Russian counterparts, do not resort to widespread blockades of popular social networks and messengers. Instead, the country employs alternative mechanisms of control over the information space — surveillance of users, selective persecution of activists and journalists, and pressure on Internet service providers and IT companies. The podcast compares two models of digital authoritarianism — the Russian model, built on large-scale technical restrictions on access to Internet resources, and the Belarusian model, which relies on targeted repressive measures and surveillance. Experts note that this approach allows Belarus's authorities to maintain the appearance of an open Internet while suppressing dissent through more covert methods. The discussion also addresses the role of major technology corporations, which must balance compliance with the legislation of authoritarian states and the protection of users' rights to freedom of speech and privacy. The podcast raises questions about the extent to which global platforms can resist pressure from such regimes and what responsibility they bear for what happens in countries with limited civil liberties.