actually, the only times I know blank sheets were used weren’t for Photoshop (makes no sense to use it for Photoshop tbh imo, I don’t think it was ever the case in Russia at least for any remotely relevant protests), but as an anti-war protest, where explicit anti-war slogans were clearly banned, so some people tried going out with blank sheets because it’s obvious what their message is. There were funnier loopholes, like someone claiming “НЕТ В***Е” (no to w*r) was meant to say “НЕТ ВОБЛЕ” (no to some specific kind of fish) because the protester particularly hates that kind of fish, and it miraculously worked, but she later got a 30k fine after wide media coverage.
It’s usually used for western news coverage of western backed protests, the signs will be blank, and filled in in English to manufacture whatever story western newspapers want to make about one of the “bad guy countries.” (there were quite a few of these people in China during covid and they were widely mocked for their very obviously artificial “white paper movement” over there, but it was treated as a 100% real protest against “authoritarianism” by western newspapers).
Of course, just because something has been used for astroturfed and manufactured protests doesn’t mean that is the only time it has ever been used. As you listed there, there are attempts to get around anti-protesting legislation (though as you also pointed out, that’s kind of pointless anyway, as people will be punished by the “spirit” of the law rather than the letter of it).
actually, the only times I know blank sheets were used weren’t for Photoshop (makes no sense to use it for Photoshop tbh imo, I don’t think it was ever the case in Russia at least for any remotely relevant protests), but as an anti-war protest, where explicit anti-war slogans were clearly banned, so some people tried going out with blank sheets because it’s obvious what their message is. There were funnier loopholes, like someone claiming “НЕТ В***Е” (no to w*r) was meant to say “НЕТ ВОБЛЕ” (no to some specific kind of fish) because the protester particularly hates that kind of fish, and it miraculously worked, but she later got a 30k fine after wide media coverage.
It’s usually used for western news coverage of western backed protests, the signs will be blank, and filled in in English to manufacture whatever story western newspapers want to make about one of the “bad guy countries.” (there were quite a few of these people in China during covid and they were widely mocked for their very obviously artificial “white paper movement” over there, but it was treated as a 100% real protest against “authoritarianism” by western newspapers).
Of course, just because something has been used for astroturfed and manufactured protests doesn’t mean that is the only time it has ever been used. As you listed there, there are attempts to get around anti-protesting legislation (though as you also pointed out, that’s kind of pointless anyway, as people will be punished by the “spirit” of the law rather than the letter of it).