Russia’s new Internet censorship law is officially about blocking access to websites containing child pornography and information about drugs and suicide. But free-speech advocates warn that anyone deemed an enemy of the state could have their site taken down under the law.

Signed in July by President Vladimir Putin and implemented on November 1, the statute puts the Federal Supervision Agency in charge of monitoring all Russian websites. Agency officials can utilize court decisions to determine which sites are banned, and the courts have decided the blacklisting can include not just child pornographers but also those labeled political extremists and opponents of the Putin regime, according to Wired.

Russia is no stranger to Internet censorship. The difference now is how it has become more centralized, after five years of local prosecutors using the courts to go after sites considered illegal.

In addition to authorizing the government to bring down sites, the law permits spying on citizens through the use of deep packet inspection, which is software that enables censors to examine what kinds of information is being sent over a computer network.

In opposition to the government crackdown, major Internet sites have staged protests and hackers have been attempting to take down the system without success.

–Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

The Kremlin’s New Internet Surveillance Plan Goes Live Today (by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan, Wired)

Russia Passes Far Reaching Internet Censorship Law Targeting Bloggers and Journalists (by Reuven Cohen, Forbes)

Russia Ramps up Internet Censorship (by Max Smolaks, TechWeekEurope)