Push to increase Russia’s internet ‘sovereignty’ fuels fears of creeping China-style controls
Russia could gain powers to restrict access to US social media companies if they “discriminate” against Russian media and levy big fines on platforms that do not delete banned content, under bills passed by the parliament’s lower house.
The authors of the two bills said infractions by YouTube and Facebook demonstrated the need for the legislation, which is part of a push to increase Russia’s internet “sovereignty” and has fuelled fears of creeping China-style controls.
