Putin’s advisor proposed limits on the Internet in Russia
The Russian Presidential Advisor on Internet issues, German Klimenko, said restrictions on the use of the Internet in the Russian Federation were the only opportunity to ensure information security, Interfax reported.
“There is only one way: the Chinese policy. Certainly, control is needed because there are no opportunities to prevent it. China is less sensitive to public opinion. They assessed the threat and limited the Internet. Now, they don’t have such problems,” Klimenko stated at the lecture entitled “Information security of the Russian Federation” at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
According to Klimenko, foreign companies working in Russia often fail to respond to the requests of law enforcement agencies. “We are in a strange position, when a foreign company is located in the territory of the Russian Federation, earns money and, nevertheless, refuses to respond to any requests of law enforcement agencies. Unfortunately, we can’t contact them via WhatsApp and ask them to disable encryption,” the Advisor said.
Klimenko added that any self-respecting state should throw foreign messengers and social networks away if they don’t cooperate with law enforcement agencies. In late December, Klimenko stated that Russia should be prepared to disconnect from the world’s Internet.
“Our Western partners cut off Crimea from Google and Microsoft services. The owners of domains who live in Crimea lost what they gained. Our country should be ready to be cut off from the Internet,” Klimenko stated in his interview with RT. According to the Presidential Advisor, one of the Russia’s aims is to adjust the Russian segment of the Internet in order to avoid disconnecting the country from the Internet.
In 2016, China took the last place (65th) in the ranking of Internet freedom conducted by Freedom House. Russia placed 52nd in this ranking. Freedom House wrote that companies registered in China are obliged to provide user data at the requests of Security Services. The Criminal Code of the country has also been amended. These new amendments increase the responsibility for dissemination of misinformation in social networks.
Internet-companies that refuse to cooperate are blocked. Internet access in China is controlled by nine state operators.