People are supposed to be able to obtain information, converse with others, and express their opinions on the Internet as a free and public forum. On the other hand, government regulation of the Internet exists in certain nations. For political reasons, a few well-known websites, social media platforms, and e-commerce marketplaces are blocked or prohibited in Russia.
Current State of Internet Restrictions
Russia has a lengthy history, going back to the early 2000s of controlling and limiting the Internet. Roskomnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media, is the primary body for internet censorship. A blacklist of websites that are considered unlawful, radical, or disruptive to public order is kept up to date by Roskomnadzor. These include websites that support foreign media outlets, terrorism, drug abuse, gambling, pornography, LGBT rights, and political opposition.
Russia is listed as "not free" in Freedom House's 2020 report, which tracks internet freedom globally. Freedom House is a non-governmental organization. According to the report, "the Russian authorities continued to tighten their grip on the online sphere in 2019–20, blocking access to independent news and information sources, increasing surveillance of users' activities and communications, and imposing harsh penalties for online expression."
Major cases of Internet Censorship
Several prominent instances of internet censorship in Russia include:
-
The prohibition of Telegram. This well-known messaging app declined to provide the authorities with its encryption keys in 2018. Millions of users continued using VPNs and proxy servers to access Telegram, proving the ban was ineffective.
-
The 2016 ban on LinkedIn, a professional networking site, disobeyed a law requiring the storage of user data on Russian nationals within the nation. In Russia, LinkedIn is still inaccessible.
-
The suspension of several online retailers, including Amazon.com, JD.com, and AliExpress, for breaking a law that mandated their registration as foreign agents in 2019. After some consented to register and pay taxes in Russia, the ban was lifted.
-
The outlawing of several social media sites, including Clubhouse, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter, that carried content about anti-government demonstrations in 2021. Although Roskomnadzor did not block these platforms entirely, it did slow down their loading speed, so the ban was only temporary and partial.
Legal Implications and Ethical Considerations for Accessing Restricted Content
As you can see, accessing content blocked on the Internet is difficult and risky. Before making this decision, you should know the ethical and legal ramifications.
You should be aware that it is technically unlawful in Russia to access blocked or prohibited websites. Federal Law on Information, Information Technologies, and Information Protection (2006) states that the owner of an information resource shall take measures to restrict access to information whose dissemination is prohibited by federal laws. Additionally, as per the Code of Administrative Offenses (2001), using information technologies or technical means for accessing information whose dissemination is prohibited by federal laws shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine.
The offender and the nature of the offense determine the fines. The fine for an individual is between 40 and 67 rubles ($3,000 to 5,000). The penalty for officials is between 400 and 667 rubles ($30,000 to 50,000). The fine for legal entities (businesses or organizations) is between 5,333 and 10,667 rubles ($400,000–800,000).
But these fines are hardly ever applied. A Russian NGO promoting internet freedom, Roskomsvoboda, reported that in 2019, there were only 12 administrative fines for visiting blocked websites. Most of them had to do with accessing terrorist or extremist content. No one has ever been fined for using social media or online shopping sites.
As a result, there is not much of a legal risk associated with accessing restricted content in Russia. This does not imply that you should act without considering any ethical issues. Consider why you would want to access content that is restricted in the first place. Are you doing it for work or personal reasons? Is it meant to be educational or entertaining? Is it activism or just curiosity?
Ethical obligations and responsibilities:
Your response may result in your differing ethical duties and responsibilities. For instance:
-
You should respect their privacy and security if you need to access restricted content for private purposes (like keeping in touch with friends or family who live abroad). You should keep their correspondence and information confidential, especially from the authorities. You should also use encryption and other security measures to shield your communications from monitoring and interception.
-
It is essential to respect the intellectual property and confidentiality of the sources and collaborators you work with if you need to access restricted content for work-related purposes (like conducting research or conducting business). It is not acceptable to steal or plagiarize their information. Additionally, you ought to obtain and utilize their information by the law and morality, including properly crediting and getting their permission.
-
Respect the moral and cultural values of the content creators and audiences if you wish to view or read restricted content for educational or recreational purposes (e.g., movies or books). Hateful, offensive, or damaging to other people's feelings should not be consumed or shared. You should purchase the goods or services the content producers and creators provide to show your support for them.
-
You should respect the human rights and dignity of the individuals and groups involved in the content if you wish to access restricted content out of curiosity or activism (e.g., to learn about various viewpoints or to support a cause). Propaganda, false information, and calls for violence should never be distributed. You need to be conscious of the possible repercussions of your actions, including being the target of cyberattacks or government intervention.
Proxy Servers: The Right Tool for Accessing Blocked Content in Russia
You might be wondering how to access restricted content now that you've considered the moral and legal ramifications. You can get around internet censorship with various tools and techniques, including web proxies, DNS servers, Tor, mirror sites, and more. But only some of them are equally safe, dependable, and effective.
A proxy server is among Russia's most significant resources for unblocking content. A computer between your device and the Internet is called a proxy server. While concealing your IP address and location from the website and other parties who might be watching your traffic, it receives your requests and sends them to the intended website.
Using a proxy server allows you to:
-
Visit blocked or prohibited websites by connecting to a proxy server in a different nation.
-
Get around geo-restrictions using a proxy server in a nation where the website provides more excellent or superior content or services.
-
Preserve your privacy by keeping your location and IP address hidden from the website and any other parties that might monitor your traffic.
-
Increase security by encrypting all communication between your device and the proxy server to make it harder for outsiders to intercept or tamper with it.
-
By caching frequently requested content on the proxy server, you can increase performance using less bandwidth and loading times.
But only some proxy servers are reliable. Proxy servers come in various varieties with differing features, purposes, and levels of quality. While some are paid and private, others are free and open to the public. While some move quickly and steadily, others progress slowly and erratically. While some are transparent and insecure, others are safe and anonymous.
As a result, you must select the best type of proxy server for your requirements and tastes. A residential proxy is among Russia's best proxy servers to unblock content.
Proxy Configuration: A User-Friendly Approach
A residential proxy server uses a legitimate IP address that a residential user receives from their internet service provider (ISP). Residential proxies use IP addresses that belong to actual devices (like PCs or smartphones) connected to the Internet via home networks, as opposed to other proxy servers that use data center IP addresses or shared IP addresses.
They are more reliable and stable because they use real IPs, which are less likely to be discovered, blocked, or banned by websites.
They provide a sizable pool of IPs from various nations, cities, ISPs, devices, etc., making them more flexible and diverse.
-
They are easier to set up and operate without requiring technical expertise, making them more user-friendly.
-
All you must do to use a residential proxy is take these easy steps:
-
Pick a trustworthy residential proxy service that provides the required features and locations.
-
Create an account and choose a plan based on your usage and budget.
-
Set up your browser or device's settings to use the proxy server or download and install the proxy software or app.
Join the proxy server and enjoy using your
new IP address and location to browse the Internet.
People are supposed to be able to obtain information, converse with others, and express their opinions on the Internet as a free and public forum. On the other hand, government regulation of the Internet exists in certain nations. For political reasons, a few well-known websites, social media platforms, and e-commerce marketplaces are blocked or prohibited in Russia.
Current State of Internet Restrictions
Russia has a lengthy history, going back to the early 2000s of controlling and limiting the Internet. Roskomnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media, is the primary body for internet censorship. A blacklist of websites that are considered unlawful, radical, or disruptive to public order is kept up to date by Roskomnadzor. These include websites that support foreign media outlets, terrorism, drug abuse, gambling, pornography, LGBT rights, and political opposition.
Russia is listed as "not free" in Freedom House's 2020 report, which tracks internet freedom globally. Freedom House is a non-governmental organization. According to the report, "the Russian authorities continued to tighten their grip on the online sphere in 2019–20, blocking access to independent news and information sources, increasing surveillance of users' activities and communications, and imposing harsh penalties for online expression."
Major cases of Internet Censorship
Several prominent instances of internet censorship in Russia include:
-
The prohibition of Telegram. This well-known messaging app declined to provide the authorities with its encryption keys in 2018. Millions of users continued using VPNs and proxy servers to access Telegram, proving the ban was ineffective.
-
The 2016 ban on LinkedIn, a professional networking site, disobeyed a law requiring the storage of user data on Russian nationals within the nation. In Russia, LinkedIn is still inaccessible.
-
The suspension of several online retailers, including Amazon.com, JD.com, and AliExpress, for breaking a law that mandated their registration as foreign agents in 2019. After some consented to register and pay taxes in Russia, the ban was lifted.
-
The outlawing of several social media sites, including Clubhouse, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter, that carried content about anti-government demonstrations in 2021. Although Roskomnadzor did not block these platforms entirely, it did slow down their loading speed, so the ban was only temporary and partial.
Legal Implications and Ethical Considerations for Accessing Restricted Content
As you can see, accessing content blocked on the Internet is difficult and risky. Before making this decision, you should know the ethical and legal ramifications.
You should be aware that it is technically unlawful in Russia to access blocked or prohibited websites. Federal Law on Information, Information Technologies, and Information Protection (2006) states that the owner of an information resource shall take measures to restrict access to information whose dissemination is prohibited by federal laws. Additionally, as per the Code of Administrative Offenses (2001), using information technologies or technical means for accessing information whose dissemination is prohibited by federal laws shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine.
The offender and the nature of the offense determine the fines. The fine for an individual is between 40 and 67 rubles ($3,000 to 5,000). The penalty for officials is between 400 and 667 rubles ($30,000 to 50,000). The fine for legal entities (businesses or organizations) is between 5,333 and 10,667 rubles ($400,000–800,000).
But these fines are hardly ever applied. A Russian NGO promoting internet freedom, Roskomsvoboda, reported that in 2019, there were only 12 administrative fines for visiting blocked websites. Most of them had to do with accessing terrorist or extremist content. No one has ever been fined for using social media or online shopping sites.
As a result, there is not much of a legal risk associated with accessing restricted content in Russia. This does not imply that you should act without considering any ethical issues. Consider why you would want to access content that is restricted in the first place. Are you doing it for work or personal reasons? Is it meant to be educational or entertaining? Is it activism or just curiosity?
Ethical obligations and responsibilities:
Your response may result in your differing ethical duties and responsibilities. For instance:
-
You should respect their privacy and security if you need to access restricted content for private purposes (like keeping in touch with friends or family who live abroad). You should keep their correspondence and information confidential, especially from the authorities. You should also use encryption and other security measures to shield your communications from monitoring and interception.
-
It is essential to respect the intellectual property and confidentiality of the sources and collaborators you work with if you need to access restricted content for work-related purposes (like conducting research or conducting business). It is not acceptable to steal or plagiarize their information. Additionally, you ought to obtain and utilize their information by the law and morality, including properly crediting and getting their permission.
-
Respect the moral and cultural values of the content creators and audiences if you wish to view or read restricted content for educational or recreational purposes (e.g., movies or books). Hateful, offensive, or damaging to other people's feelings should not be consumed or shared. You should purchase the goods or services the content producers and creators provide to show your support for them.
-
You should respect the human rights and dignity of the individuals and groups involved in the content if you wish to access restricted content out of curiosity or activism (e.g., to learn about various viewpoints or to support a cause). Propaganda, false information, and calls for violence should never be distributed. You need to be conscious of the possible repercussions of your actions, including being the target of cyberattacks or government intervention.
Proxy Servers: The Right Tool for Accessing Blocked Content in Russia
You might be wondering how to access restricted content now that you've considered the moral and legal ramifications. You can get around internet censorship with various tools and techniques, including web proxies, DNS servers, Tor, mirror sites, and more. But only some of them are equally safe, dependable, and effective.
A proxy server is among Russia's most significant resources for unblocking content. A computer between your device and the Internet is called a proxy server. While concealing your IP address and location from the website and other parties who might be watching your traffic, it receives your requests and sends them to the intended website.
Using a proxy server allows you to:
-
Visit blocked or prohibited websites by connecting to a proxy server in a different nation.
-
Get around geo-restrictions using a proxy server in a nation where the website provides more excellent or superior content or services.
-
Preserve your privacy by keeping your location and IP address hidden from the website and any other parties that might monitor your traffic.
-
Increase security by encrypting all communication between your device and the proxy server to make it harder for outsiders to intercept or tamper with it.
-
By caching frequently requested content on the proxy server, you can increase performance using less bandwidth and loading times.
But only some proxy servers are reliable. Proxy servers come in various varieties with differing features, purposes, and levels of quality. While some are paid and private, others are free and open to the public. While some move quickly and steadily, others progress slowly and erratically. While some are transparent and insecure, others are safe and anonymous.
As a result, you must select the best type of proxy server for your requirements and tastes. A residential proxy is among Russia's best proxy servers to unblock content.
Proxy Configuration: A User-Friendly Approach
A residential proxy server uses a legitimate IP address that a residential user receives from their internet service provider (ISP). Residential proxies use IP addresses that belong to actual devices (like PCs or smartphones) connected to the Internet via home networks, as opposed to other proxy servers that use data center IP addresses or shared IP addresses.
They are more reliable and stable because they use real IPs, which are less likely to be discovered, blocked, or banned by websites.
They provide a sizable pool of IPs from various nations, cities, ISPs, devices, etc., making them more flexible and diverse.
-
They are easier to set up and operate without requiring technical expertise, making them more user-friendly.
-
All you must do to use a residential proxy is take these easy steps:
-
Pick a trustworthy residential proxy service that provides the required features and locations.
-
Create an account and choose a plan based on your usage and budget.
-
Set up your browser or device's settings to use the proxy server or download and install the proxy software or app.
Join the proxy server and enjoy using your
new IP address and location to browse the Internet.
