Bill to Restrict Web Content Is Assailed in Russia
Posted in: Censorship at 11/07/2012 17:56
Major Internet sites and human rights advocates sharply criticized a proposed law that would grant the Russian government broad new powers to restrict Web content, ostensibly to protect children from pornography and other harmful material. Critics said the law could quickly lead to repression of speech and a restrictive firewall like the one in China.
Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, shut its Russian Web site on Tuesday to protest the proposed measure, and instead posted a large warning on its home page: "Imagine a world without free knowledge." The notice said the proposed law "can lead to the creation of extrajudicial censorship of the Internet in Russia, including the closure of access to Wikipedia."
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www.nytimes.com/2012/07/11/world/europe/wikipedia-shuts-site-to-protest-bill-for-firewall-in-russia.html
Also see:
Kremlin internet bill 'signals growing repression of critics by Putin'
Two months after Vladimir Putin once again assumed the post of Russian president, the long-feared crackdown on his critics appears to have begun. The internet bill due to be considered by parliament on Wednesday is, say activists, the latest sign of growing repression of civil freedom in Russia.
The bill calls for the creation of a federal website "nolist". Internet providers and site owners would be forced to shut down any websites on this list. According to Wikipedia authors on Tuesday, the bill will "lead to the creation of a Russian analogue to China's great firewall".
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/10/kremlin-internet-bill-repression-putin
Wikipedia Russia, other sites protest proposed Internet 'censorship' law [IDG]
The Russian version of Wikipedia went black on Tuesday to protest a proposed law that could become the basis for Internet censorship.
Wikipedia's protest is backed by other large Russian online businesses such as the social networking site VKontakte and the Russian LiveJournal.
www.computerworld.com/s/article/9228970/Wikipedia_Russia_other_sites_protest_proposed_Internet_39_censorship_39_law
www.networkworld.com/news/2012/071012-wikipedia-russia-other-sites-protest-260794.html
Russian Wikipedia shuts down in protest of 'censorship' bill
Wikipedia once again is diving into Internet politics.
The free encyclopedia on Tuesday temporarily shut down access to most of its Russian-language site in protest of proposed legal action in Russia that it says would result in Internet censorship.
Visitors to ru.wikipedia.org on Tuesday saw a black censorship bar over the Wikipedia logo and a message asking them to imagine a world without free access to knowledge.
edition.cnn.com/2012/07/10/tech/web/russia-wikipedia-bill/index.html
Russian Wikipedia closes site to protest Internet law
The Russian version of online encyclopedia Wikipedia closed its site on Tuesday in a one-day protest against what it said were plans by President Vladimir Putin to create his own version of the "Great Chinese Firewall" to block dissent on the Internet.
Supporters of amendments to Russia's information law, which were proposed by the ruling United Russia party and will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, say changes are needed to protect children from harmful sites.
uk.reuters.com/article/2012/07/10/oukin-uk-russia-wikipedia-protest-idUKBRE8690O220120710
in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/10/russia-wikipedia-protest-idINDEE8690A520120710
