Russia’s Internet Censorship Tightens: Cointelegraph Joins the Blacklist

The Ever-Expanding Blacklist

In a dramatic turnaround, Cointelegraph has officially been added to Russia’s blacklist of websites, a move that underscores the country’s increasing digital censorship. Although the site has been in the sinners’ corner since 2017, it wasn’t until October 16 that the blocking was enforced by the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (known as Roskomnadzor). Talk about procrastination!

What’s Behind the Block?

The block seems to be tied to the evolving narrative of internet freedom (or lack thereof) in Russia. A developer behind a well-known Russian anticensorship browser extension reported that the URL got the boot after being added to an XML file sent out to Internet Service Providers (ISPs). “It’s a secret document distributed through the digital grapevine,” the developer quipped, requesting anonymity for obvious security reasons. After all, speaking against the powers that be can lead to more than just a bad day.

Mixed Reactions from Users

Cointelegraph got in touch with its Russian readership, and the responses were as varied as one might expect. Some courageous netizens reported they still had access to the site, while others experienced frustrating outages. ISPs, it seems, are implementing the new regulations at a pace that resembles a sloth on a lazy day. So, if you’re trying to check out the latest crypto news, you may need to prepare for a little digital hide-and-seek.

The Growing Censorship Landscape

Johann Bihr from Reporters Without Borders threw more fuel on the fire by suggesting that this latest block is symptomatic of a broader draconian trend emerging in Russia’s online landscape. “This isn’t just a hiccup; it’s a signal that the censorship system is ramping up,” he stated ominously. For those of you keeping score, Roskomnadzor has previously clashed with platforms like Telegram, attempting to block millions of IP addresses without much success.

A Trend Towards Authoritarianism?

The crux of the matter appears to be the newly enacted ‘Sovereign Internet’ law, reminiscent of China’s Great Firewall. Under this law, Roskomnadzor has been busy installing advanced censorship tools. It’s a brave new world for internet governance in Russia, one that may make even the most seasoned digital nomad shy away from surfing the web freely. Is Cointelegraph the latest canary in the coal mine for press freedoms? Time will tell.