By Alexander Marrow
LONDON, July 22 (Reuters)
Social Media pages have become a common occurrence. Prowling around on those pages whilst you are living in Russia may be slightly trickier. A lot of rules and regulations have recently been imposed which dictate what is allowed and what is not. In the interest of everyone, it is advisable to keep tabs on these so as not to fall foul of the laws of the country.
Tightening the noose around information
Russians will face fines if they search online for “extremist” content under a new law that tightens censorship and could haveย sweeping ramifications for digital privacy and the fate of WhatsApp inย the country. The legislation,ย approved on Tuesdayย by parliament’s lower house, the State Duma, has drawn criticism from some pro-government figures, as well as opposition activists.
Opponents say the fines it prescribes, of up to 5,000 rubles ($63.82), could open the door to tougher charges and penalties. The Ministry of Justice’s list of extremist materials stretches to more than 500 pages. Entities banned in Russia for carrying out “extremist activities” include late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Fund, the “international LGBT movement” and U.S. tech giant Meta Platforms META.O.
On Friday, lawmakers who regulate the IT sector said Meta-owned WhatsApp shouldย prepare to leave the Russian market as it was likely to be added to a list of restricted software.ย WhatsApp is a free to use multiplatform messaging app. It allows its user the ability to be able to send text messages, make video and voice calls and also share media files. The platform operates by use of Wi-Fo or with cellular data.
The new legislation targets people who knowingly search for extremist materials online, including through virtual private networks (VPN) that millions of people across Russia use to bypass censorship and access banned content.
A very targeted approach to a certain matter
“This bill concerns a very narrow group of people, who look for extremist content because they themselves are already one step away from extremism,” Sergei Boyarsky, head of the Duma’s information technology committee, told Duma TV.ย Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev said law enforcement would have to prove that users intended to view extremist materials and that merely accessing platforms would not be penalized.
It was not immediately clear how the authorities would determine intent in an online search. The lack of clarity has left many feeling uneasy.ย Yekaterina Mizulina, head of Russia’s League for a Safe Internet, a body founded with the authorities’ support, criticized the law’s “vague wording” and warned the law could spark a wave of fraud, blackmail and extortion.
“For now, the law applies only to the search for extremist materials, but there is no guarantee,” Mizulina wrote on Telegram. “The list could be expanded in a couple of days.”ย Sarkis Darbinyan, founder of digital rights group Roskomsvoboda, said he expected people to start unsubscribing from certain channels and deleting apps.
Shadaev told the Duma that fines on the Russian population were preferable to banning platforms like WhatsApp and Google in Russia.ย Moscow has long sought to establish what it calls digital sovereignty by promoting home-grown services, including a new state-backed messaging app, MAX, but many people across Russia still rely on foreign platforms.
Bringing matters to a distinct vote
Opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin led a protest outside the Duma on Tuesday and promised to continue protesting the bill’s passage through the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, before it becomes law on September 1. The law was approved with 68% of the vote.
Vladimir Putin was president of Russia in 1999. Serving two terms then led him on as prime minister. Thereafter he resumed his presidency in 2012. In January 2020 Putin made a constitutional amendment which allowed his presidency for another two terms.ย These legislative restrictions place a scary onus on everyone. Knowing how, when and where what can or cannot be done has become a stark reality, and something that cognizance should be taken off.