Russia has demanded that Google, Facebook and Twitter comply with Russian censorship laws and store all data locally. In fact, Putin signed that into law in July, 2014.
Before screaming (justifiably), we should probably realize that we (the NSA), the British (GCHQ) and so many others demand and/or do the same already. Also, it’s not like Google, et. al. don’t do the same (even censorship to some degree), only for profit.
Well, in China Google sidestepped it by setting up shop in Hong Kong. For Russia, there’s no ‘Hong Kong’ as recent events in the Ukraine should demonstrate.
Microsoft stores data in Ireland (I’m sure others try this ‘Cayman Islands data banking’ too) to avoid just this situation and create jurisdictional problems. In fact, there’s a case in appeal process about just that question of whether there is a ‘jurisdiction’ on the internet, since a Magistrate found that MS had to produce private emails and other data on FISA subpoena even when the data is stored abroad. So, the U.S. (while no active ‘censorship’ is involved, certainly the chilling effect of this will produce ‘passive’ or ‘self censorship’ and the suppression of business and science).
To those who maintain, “This is against terrorism, and if you haven’t done anything wrong, you have nothing to fear.” I say, “poppycock”. While some of it might indeed be justifiable in cases of justifiably suspected terrorists and their contacts, it isn’t for 99.999% of the public. Profiling is wrong whether electronic or physical. Random ‘stop and search’ is a Fourth Amendment violation, whether “for your own good” or “to prevent a shooting”. The case of “the ticking time bomb” they love to raise when usurping your rights (which they never apprise you of), has never been actually found to have happened, just as the TSA has never caught a terrorist.
What if they refuse? They won’t do business in Russia. It’s a short, “My way or the highway”, and Comrade K.G.B. Colonel President Putin isn’t generally noted for his willingness to compromise nor his respect for the rights of others. Yeah, I know: It’s just a matter of different definitions, a cultural thing.
The result? Bloggers will be required to ‘register’ with the government (you’re registered here as well, you just don’t know it). They’ll be closely monitored for “extremist speech, hate speech, slander and obscene language”, like saying anything negative about Putin, or suggesting all people have certain unalienable rights.
Result? A ‘Chinese Internet’, ‘Russian Internet’ an ‘Iranian Internet’ and so on. The Internet is being fragmented into political fiefdoms.
Have a great weekend.
Sources:
1. http://www.neowin.net/news/russia-wants-facebook-google-twitter-to-comply-with-censorship-laws
2. http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/apr/29/us-court-microsoft-personal-data-emails-irish-server