Tech providers are planning to temporarily cut the Russian internet off from the World Wide Web amid attempts to increase government control of information flows. That is the deadline for amendments to "sovereign internet" legislation that ostensibly will allow Russia to protect itself from foreign aggression in the digital sphere. In particular, lawmakers are worried that Western accusations of Russian hacking could lead to retaliatory cyberattacks and are trying to develop a way to isolate the Russian internet. ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/AP The Russian government has been tightening its grip over the internet since social media facilitated huge protests against president Vladimir Putin. The Russian government has been tightening its grip over the internet since social media facilitated huge protests against Putin in 2011-13.

Source: Stuff February 12, 2019 17:26 UTC