top of page
Search by Topic / Keyword...

Topic:

Surveillance

Country:

Russia

Issue:

Article ID:

9

Title:

The Digital Iron Curtain. Russia Prepares for a Total Ban on VPNs.

Author:

Jeremiah Fowler

Date:

February 29, 2024

Source:

VPN Mentor

Reference:

Summary:

Quotes:

Russian sources have announced that a ban on VPN services will go into effect on March 1st [2024]. The ban encompasses advertisements and websites that provide information about how to bypass blocked resources in Russia and occupied territories of Ukraine. This is just the latest step in a years-long campaign to regulate access to information, isolate internet users within Russia, and increase surveillance capabilities by the authorities. Restricting VPNs could be seen as reducing one of the last tools Russian citizens have to access the outside world and hear opinions, news, and perspectives beyond the narrow scope of approved topics presented by state media. In 2022, nearly 23% of the Russian population used VPN services compared to only 9% in 2021. The surge in VPN usage is associated with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Russian authorities’ subsequent blockage of an estimated 138,000 websites, including social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). In 2023, Russia received an index score of 21 out of 100 in the annual Freedom on the Net (FOTN) ranking by Freedom House.

Key Data:

Notes:

Thanks for submitting!

©2024 Ukraine Culture and Liberty Foundation. All rights reserved |  Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy

bottom of page