Digital defense from the plastic world of domestic Internet regulators

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    Did you know that today, March 1, is World Civil Defense Day?
    I'm not, I'm prompted after we command RosKomSvobody launched randomly on the same day a public campaign # TsifrovayaOborona

    bad coincidence!

    This campaign is strategic and is aimed at upholding digital rights and against the current negative trend of state regulation of the Internet in Russia.

    Over the past few years, the Russian authorities have adopted a huge number of legal acts that adversely affect our digital rights and freedoms, the development of the Internet business, and the construction of effective online communications: personal, public, business, educational. Regulation of the network environment has long clearly gone somewhere wrong. State Duma deputies, instead of laws that should stimulate social, commercial and scientific ties in the online environment, put forward stranger and more detrimental initiatives for modern society to expand censorship of the Network, introduce surveillance of users, and burden new obligations of information intermediaries - telecom operators, hosters, content providers, site owners, online media and other participants in online interactions.

    It is no secret to anyone that the adoption of the most odious laws takes place unilaterally - “people's representatives” and representatives of state bodies do not listen to constructive criticism from experts from the industry and public organizations. All bills that are repressive and regressive with respect to the Internet are quickly approved by the relevant committees, “high-speed readings” in parliament, and equally fast approval by the Federation Council and visions by the President of the Russian Federation.

    We want to change that!

    In the framework of the Digital Defense campaign, all of us, Internet users, industry representatives, website and service owners, IT specialists, bloggers, representatives of the scientific community and the media can massively defend our online rights. Otherwise, life in the dystopias of Orwell and Bradbury will soon be waiting for us - individual elements of such worlds penetrate our lives and become familiar to us. They accustom us: censorship is normal, surveillance is necessary, reconcile, total state control of your communications is for your own safety. The ministries of Truth, Peace and Love are already visible on the horizon. And thought-crimes are practically already here and now.

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    The first stage of the campaign, we propose to combine efforts against one of the most dangerous bills - No. 608767-7"On the sovereignty of the Runet" by senators Klishas and Bokova, as well as deputy Lugovoi. The first reading took place in mid-February of this year, the second will be in March. The norms proposed by the bill will put under the state control the routing of the Network with the regulator represented by Roskomnadzor. The officials of this department will have the right to give instructions to telecom operators on how to build Internet traffic routes. It is also expected that Internet providers will be imposed with equipment that will filter traffic using in-depth packet analysis (DPI). Traffic exchange points and cross-border crossings will be taken under tight control. All this carries many risks: technological, economic, and public.

    Lawmakers justify their actions by the desire to protect themselves from external threats. But with the implementation of the new law, many threats will appear, including risk of cutting Runet from the World Wide Web.

    Well, you, I suppose, are well aware of this. Moreover, on Habré this bill was very actively discussed and caused a serious resonance.
    According to the chronology: one , two , three , four , five , six , seven , eight .
    And I haven’t cited all the posts published here yet. Only, one might say, key ones.

    So let's try to change the situation!

    We createdDigital Defense website , where we will publish campaign news, and now we have laid out the most detailed instructions on what each of you can do personally.

    We suggest writing an appeal to the deputies - the corresponding guide is available on the site .

    We have given examples of such calls on this page . There is also a file containing extended expert argumentation, which you can attach to your appeal.

    We want these resonant draft laws to go through open public hearings on the Internet.And they were not accepted by deputies as soon as possible, despite the huge number of comments from public and industry organizations. Users have long been concerned about such disregard by government agencies.

    In the future, we will focus on the response received from the authorities on this issue (or ignoring it). And take the following steps to consolidate the efforts of users and Internet companies in upholding their rights. Including in court.

    We ask you to tell your friends and acquaintances about “Digital Defense”, repost in social networks and instant messengers. Spread the campaign news with the hashtag #DigitalOborona.

    Download banners on a special campaign pageand post them on your website, social networks, blog.
    On the same page you can subscribe to campaign news.

    Those Internet resources, public organizations, commercial industry companies, associations, media portals who want to join this public campaign or otherwise interact with its organizers can contact us by e-mail: roskomsvoboda@rublacklist.net

    We are able to do everything possible so that the Internet in our country is convenient, fast and free, and the digital rights of citizens are respected by the authorities!

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    Only registered users can participate in the survey. Please come in.

    Which of the violations of rights and freedoms, as well as other restrictions on the development of the Internet in Russia, do you consider the most significant at the moment?

    • 79.6% Censorship (violation of the right to freedom of speech and the dissemination of information - blocking sites and services) 395
    • 64.7% Surveillance (violation of secrecy of communication) 321
    • 58.8% The burden of the IT industry with new state regulation 292
    • 60.6% Attempts to tighten state control over network infrastructure 301
    • 50.2% Regularly pressing government bodies on the remains of independent media and online media 249
    • 37.2% Forcing global Internet corporations to cooperate with Russian authorities 185
    • 75.6% of criminal penalties for speech and Memes on the Internet 375
    • 1.8% Other (comment) 9
    • 8.4% I believe that in Russia there are no restrictions on the rights and freedoms on the Internet and the state is doing everything right 42

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