A new Russian law will fine citizens up to 5,000 rubles for searching online for "extremist" content, raising concerns over digital privacy and self-censorship.
Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, has approved legislation punishing online searches for extremist materials, a move critics say will heighten censorship and jeopardise digital freedoms.
The law targets individuals who intentionally seek out extremist content, including through VPNs, with fines reaching up to 5,000 rubles. The Ministry of Justice’s list of extremist materials spans over 500 pages and includes organisations such as Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Fund and U.S. tech giant Meta Platforms.
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, may soon be designated as restricted software. Lawmakers have warned the platform to prepare for a possible exit from Russia, further narrowing the digital space.
Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev said authorities must prove intent, not mere access. Still, rights groups say the law’s vagueness could spur abuse. Yekaterina Mizulina of the League for a Safe Internet called the wording unclear and warned it may lead to fraud and extortion.
Critics like Roskomsvoboda’s Sarkis Darbinyan see the law as a tool to instil fear and increase self-censorship, with users likely to abandon apps and online communities.
Although the law still awaits approval from the Federation Council before taking effect on 1 September, it has already sparked political pushback. Opposition figure Boris Nadezhdin protested outside the Duma, vowing to challenge the law's advancement.
Unusually, 14.9% of lawmakers voted against the bill, with 22 abstaining—indicating a level of dissent rarely seen in Russia’s legislative process.
Indian police detained more than 2,000 protesters in Delhi on Saturday as authorities blocked a planned demonstration calling for the resignation o...
A powerful explosion has been reported at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, raising fresh concerns over aviation security in Saudi Arabi...
At least 12 people, including three children, have been killed in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, a day after U.S. Presiden...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
A powerful explosion has been reported at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, raising fresh concerns over aviation security in Saudi Arabia as tensions across the region continue to escalate.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for her efforts to promote peace and international law,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Indian police detained more than 2,000 protesters in Delhi on Saturday as authorities blocked a planned demonstration calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over disputed changes to voter lists.
At least 12 people, including three children, have been killed in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deal to ease sanctions on Russian diesel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports, questioning why Moscow was granted an economic benefit without an apparent concession towards ending the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed surprise after Donald Trump mediated the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in 2025, the U.S. President said at a rally in New York state on Friday.
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 injured in a single week as Russian strikes hit residential areas, passenger buses and critical infrastructure.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment