Russian dissidents have used the Internet to organize protests and to speak out against corrupt officials and unjust practices. Putin has termed the Internet a “CIA project” and recognizes the power it gives to his opponents. The Kremlin is taking calculated steps to decrease the reach of independent information sources and to clamp down on the opposition online.
Map of Internet Freedom Violations in 2013 [Key: Green=0-3 violations; Yellow=4-9 violations; Orange=10-29 violations; Red=30 or more violations; += includes instances of violence] Agora Human Rights Association
Investigating corruption has become difficult due to legal obstacles. Libel is a criminal offense with steep fines, and some media companies have had their editorial equipment seized in the course of an investigation. It is also illegal to publish information about an individual’s personal life without consent. Alexei Navalny, a prominent blogger writing about corruption, said:
Navalny’s blog was blocked in Russia along with other independent news sites on March 13. This was possible due to a law passed on January 30 which allows prosecutors to block access to websites which encourage participation in unapproved protests and incite unrest. Starting August 1, bloggers with 3000 or more visitors per day must register as media outlets with Roskomnadzor, the media oversight authority. They must comply with media regulations, as well as fact-check their posts and the comments. Bloggers must include their surname, initials, and email address on their page. This makes it easy to prosecute bloggers for libel or “extremist” views.
While Putin has denied that Russia has a domestic surveillance system to track users online, a new bill would require Internet companies to store Russians’ personal data within Russia’s borders, to allow intelligence and security officers access. Companies would have to relocate servers and data centers to Russia and supply six months’ worth of data, or their site would be blocked. This would impact sites such as Facebook and Twitter, which have been a common means of organization and information sharing. The bill would allow the government to track supporters of prominent opposition members. Social media users can even be arrested for liking or sharing “extremist” materials.
More restrictive legislation continues to be put forth by United Russia, Putin’s party. Under such intense pressure, self-censorship can become the norm to avoid politically-driven litigation, which is an issue that should be more thoroughly examined.
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