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Deutsch: Russische Regierung will Kontrolle über Online-Medien übernehmen

Roskomnadzor, Russia's federal supervisory agency for communications, information technology and mass media, is presently testing a search software to trace "extremist" content on the Internet, planning to start using it in December 2011.

The software will check text, audio and video footage on the Web for words and phrases containing calls for violence, social and national hatred, information on manufacturing and dissemination of drugs etc.

In case the respective software decides, based on rather vague criteria, that a certain website has "extremist" content, the site is given three days to remove it and, in case of non-compliance, is sent two more warnings and then is closed down - a sort of four strikes system.

"Our main concern is Roskomnadzor's very broad definition of 'extremist' content and the arbitrary and disproportionate nature of the sanctions that can include website closure. The creation of this software will establish a generalized system of surveillance of the Russian Internet that could eventually lead to the withdrawal of all content that troubles the authorities. It will inevitably restrict the free flow of information," said Reporters Without Borders.

At the same time, the government wants to use software designed to scan and monitor anything posted online about the Russian government and judicial system and any European Union statement concerning Russia as it came out when the Minister of Justice announced a contest for the design of such software.

As the Russian authorities have become more and more aware about the power of the Internet they seem to plan more and more measures to control it. On 2 August 2011, Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev called for a greater surveillance of the Internet under the pretext of keeping the Russian youth from going to "extremism".

Bloggers have also entered under the authorities' scrutiny with the increase of their presence into the social life and of their influence. With much of the Russian media already under control, bloggers have revealed important stories on issues ranging from parking to high-level corruption.

"In the last two years, a huge amount of stories have first appeared on the blogosphere and only then made it onto federal television and into newspapers. If these stories hadn't first been seized upon by bloggers, the blogosphere, and social media, then it is more than possible they would never have come to light," said blogger Aleksandr Morozov.

During the last two years the authorities have targeted blogs and other online media by expanding the legislation on extremism and slander, which can easily be abused due to its vague drafting.

There have been several cases when search engine filtered the results so that they should not show any news from certain websites, or websites have been under cyber-attacks, mails or Twitter accounts have been reported of being hacked, Most these websites, blogs or accounts were critical towards the Russian government.

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