BlockedinRussia.com Launched to Help Shed Light on the State of the Internet in Putin's Russia

NEW YORK, Aug. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 2012, the Russian government has implemented increasingly restrictive laws, starting by censoring individual URLs, domain names, and IP addresses contained within a federal blacklist.

Coming as no surprise, Russia has recently taken further action and continues to limit access to online information with the passing of a new law which will further limit the way users access and experience the world wide web.

In response, BlockedinRussia.com has been launched by a collective of activists concerned with internet freedom and privacy. The website will help shed light on the state of the internet in Russia today.

BlockedinRussia.com is a simple tool that checks if a website is blocked or accessible from Russia. Anyone can simply enter a website and check if it is accessible from within the country.

The website's launch seems timely as the Kremlin announced its most recent addition to internet laws: A crackdown on tools which aid users in obscuring their identity and accessing banned sites, starting November 1st.

The new law will place certain prohibitions on virtual private networks (VPN) and other tools which anonymize users' identities. Even Edward Snowden (@snowden) tweeted his concerns: "Banning the 'unauthorized' use of basic internet security tools makes Russia both less safe and less free. This is a tragedy of policy."

While the government's intentions are unclear and many are skeptical, BlockedinRussia.com will provide users with basic intelligence to browse more safely and help the world understand the dangers of an overzealous government.

The tool is also helpful for travelers visiting country so they can be prepared, especially in advance of the expected massive influx of tourists for the 2018 World Cup.

Media contact:
Jordan Fried
[email protected] 
561-563-9975

SOURCE BlockedInRussia.com

Related Links

http://BlockedinRussia.com