Vladimir Putin signs law, banning VPN

Recently, Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed a law which prohibits Russians from using virtual private networks (VPNs), as well as other anonymous proxies, to “prevent the spread of extremist materials and ideas”.

The said law will take effect on November 1, months ahead before the March 2018 presidential election in Russia in which Putin is expected to run and win again a new six-year term. Apart from the VPN ban, another law was signed by Putin wherein operators of instant messaging apps are required to get their users’ phone numbers to establish their identity.

In a statement released by Leonid Levin, the head of Duma’s (the lower house of parliament) information policy committee, he has mentioned that the ‘law is not intended to impose restrictions on law-abiding citizens but is meant only to block access to “unlawful content,’.

Source: RadioFreeEurope
Via: Engadget