Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Russia rolls out its 'sovereign internet.' Is
it building a digital Iron Curtain?
“Free Internet” signs on hotel booking sites
could mean differently by country. Even though there is no charge to access the
Internet, you may not have free access to “the Internet.” For example, in some
countries, some of the news sites or articles are blocked for access. In China,
you can’t access Google search or BBC news site. Also, a great deal of web sites
and SNS interactions are censored and blocked if they are found unsafe or
improper in the communist state. It is called “the Great Firewall of China.”
Russia seems to follow the suit even more thoroughly
to censor the web traffic. A new law, so-called "sovereign internet law”,
was put in effect as of November 1st to control internet traffic and
detect content. Now all internet providers in Russia are required to install
special hardware provided by a Russian telecom agency. The aim of the new law and
requirements were said to protect the country from cyberattacks from foreign
powers. Sounds like a Digital Iron Curtain was erected in Russia’s cyberspace,
which seems to take less manpower to monitor web traffic than China’s Great
Firewall.
Will this be a new trend to govern the cyber
space?
Enjoy reading the article and think what free
Internet means now.
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