Russian Wikipedia protests online censorship with blackout
July 10, 2012 08:08
The Russian version of Wikipedia has declared a 24-hour-long boycott in protest against a child protection bill, which the community says paves the way for internet censorship in Russia.
Little Johnny, we live in a complex world, we stepped from the jungle and accepted civilisation as part of a contract, where we gave up some rights in return for order, safety.. You can argue whether you like it or not, you can argue we are not civilised, but that is the way it is, we enacted a whole set of laws and arbitration system to try to make that system work. That law and system is by no means perfect, and is by no means 100% objective, but that is what we have. Everyday the system makes decisions on what is obscene, what is reasonable….. The mechanisms are used all the time under appellate and media scrutiny, there are checks and balances attempted at all stages. Now the internet is just another public space, just like a street a park, but with global reach, and accordingly needs to come under similar regulations, we have today, but of course adapted for the reality of the new medium and space. People do feel a great freedom with the internet, after all it is a view back to the jungle, and I understand that, however, that is not the way ‘we’ have chosen to live in our ‘civilisation’, so naturally the internet has to come in line with society and the way we order it, it is nothing special, in regulatory terms, even though it is special in its ability, as you say to get around established controlled corporate channels. This is the balance that needs striking here, that balance between social responsibility and freedom of expression. The truly simpleton approach is to ignore the social responsibility angle and to propagandise that even the slightest regulation will lead to a total suppression of the useful side of the internet. Yes all regulations and laws tend to get abused, by enforcers, but to believe in your ‘total loss’ propaganda, you would have to believe that giving the power of arrest to one police officer, would lead to the whole population being locked up, to have an obscene publication law, would lead to all magazines being denied publication!
wesley (unregistered) wrote in #7
If Russia is a beacon of the free world, then why is Wikipedia protesting? You are right Tomasz, these guy are such hypocrites. These spew all these conspiracy theories how the U.S. govt is listening to every word you say and they are almost always wrong. However, when a world renowned organization protests censorship in Russia, it is unjust. Maybe the Russians are too stupid to decide for themselves what is true or not? They need their govt to make decisions for them? Look at Russia during the cold war. They would jam Radio Free Europe to keep the citizens in the dark what is going on in the world.
Your the stupid one... your the one who goes by all kinds of bs you read on the net. Just about every country sux in one way or another and all have propoganda... However in U.S. this isolation and propoganda wen't over board... At least i USSR people knew that government lied and supressed rights.
Count Cash wrote in #12Yes you can’t have any laws, any restrictions, you can do anything in public, scream any obscenities, behave as you like, once you introduce any laws, it’s the end, no one can adjudicate, no one can judge, just don’t have laws! Don’t make me puke, the renters of one law breaks total freedom are the paedophiles that try to worm their way through with limp wrist expressions of no censorship! Of course other countries can have what they want, then you can pop down to Aus to get your fill of child abuse, they can be so open and show the world, what is being hidden from others – we can even give them a full view portal! I thought Australia was different, but different flag, same Fraudem BS! Sorry but you are a simpleton. Pedophiles use proxy servers and other means. You can't trace them anyway. They certainly don't use main stream internet like the average user. The actions you referred to in your tirade are still illegal and easy to trace. Intenet censorship won't change that. So what's the point. Well tune into the main stream media in the US UK Aus etc. and you might figure it out. TV is gone. It's 100 controlled by the Govt/corporate cabal. It's all propaganda. The last bastion of free information is the internet. The Cabal has figured out that people are tuning out of their so called "news" and tuning into web sites that at least offer a different opinion. That is why they are trying to introduce these laws. It is extremely naive to think otherwise. If you read the fine print of these laws it's clear they can censor ANY web site they don't like. Watch this space. They will definitely do this in the US and soon. They know SHTF time is coming.
@Peter --- You're calling Putin and Russia a beacon of the free world?! LOL!!! Which is why it's harder to hold protests there now, and it's more difficult to criticize the government in newspapers there. Plus, now there's talk about censoring the Internet in Russia. Wow, what a free world it must be there! And don't even get me started on Belarus.. lolol. You are such a brainwashed fool.
@Eurasian... I am surprised you lost your nerve over poor, hopeless case like Tomasz. It's obvious he's here just to write anything against Russia, Putin or other beacons of free world. That's the only purpose of his existence. He does nothing but reading RT, he's obsessed with Russia. In nfact, subconsciously, he would like to be a Russian... more than anything else. That's why he's such a russophobiac while awake. So please don't be aggravated by his childish comments. @Tomasz.. Like I said, I don't expect it from you to understand, but russophobia is not exactly a life-threatening disease, even though it's incurable in most cases. You can actually live a full life with it. The only side effect is you can't see world in color, only black and white. But hey, that makes you qualified to fall into same category like some great leaders of 21st century like Killary, Merkozy, Hussein Barack, Dick 'n Bush, those fellas from Downing Street, ... not bad, eh?
@Eurasian --- Where are the insults that you talk about on this article? I posted two comments and none of them are insulting. But since I'm writing to you, I have the right to call you an idiot and moron. Go take your medications. Everything I write is real covered by facts.
@Peter --- So you call the West evil, but you criticize the West when they call North Koreans or Iranians evil? What a pure hypocrite. So you're basically saying that the West should shield itself from The Iranians, Syrians, and ex-KGB agent Putin? Great logic.
@Tomasz.. We know who you are Tomasz, so no wonder your russophobia comes to the boiling point 3 times a day. And yes, this IS different because bill hasn't been passed yet, while, for instance, Obama just secretly signed an act giving HIM full control of ALL private communications in US (and elswhere). Secondly, Russia needs a better defensive mechanism against West by all means and it does include internet censorship as well. People like Navalny, Kasparov and other CIA employees need to be kept under surveliance. Not because they're dangerous per se (really small, stinky fish) but as an example to discourage any other spineless traitor. We have to keep in mind at all times who started this cyber (and any other) war. I have no doubt though that Killary will say anytime now how "Russia must pay price for preventing it's own citizens from enjoying full freedom of speach and thought". Finally Tomasz, there is no cure for russophobia. So you're more than welcome to open your window and bark any time you want.
Eurasian (unregistered) wrote in #5
When it comes to Russia is absolutely the case; Russia needs protection similar to ´the great Chinese Firewall.´ In the western media we hear all kinds of fairytale´s, blatant lies and complete distortion of the Russian history and culture – even said yesterday by Putin himself. If the westerners want to act as Orwellian´s, well that is their problem but why should other cultures allow them write or rewrite their own history – to begin with, and then further completely influence their cultures with disinformation and immorality. If the Russian people find their freedoms of speech being restricted is then their right to protest. @Count Cash is right; exactly those ´no sensor ranters´ are those who would be willing of abuses and child abuses hiding behind “the freedoms of speech.”
Eurasian (unregistered) wrote in #14
You know I once had a discussion in the west with this 3 times PhD - historian, anthropologist, philosopher; during the first 3 minutes figured it clearly out he is not gonna tell me anything that deserves listening at all but only hopeless attempts to brainwash and recruit me, the next 27 minutes pretended I listen to him carefully and then said to him “...you know why I respect Putin(?), is not only because he is the leader of a great nation but because he has the ability to speak a normal language everyone can understand – and which mirror reflects his nation as great for having chosen him as a leader. Have you not noticed the evaluations of your western leaders/politicians and political annalists trying to figure out why Putin is such charismatic leader reflecting what I am saying to you here? Surely you can teach me English, but you yourself need to learn how to express yourself in plain or Oxford English, if you will, but to be understood – drop off the Orwellianism.”
Oh, so in Russia, censorship or an Internet filter is OK, but when a similar law (ACTA) is debated in the West, you guys start saying how the West is losing its freedom and liberties? Does anyone else see how hypocritical that is?
In Sweden we have suck a secret system since a long time. It is against the law, but the secret police makes a list that the Internet providers do not dare to reject. So they implement the secret censorship. The list i secret, so w do not know what kind of sites are censored, but it is said that there are pornographic. But nobody knows for sure.
Horseman of the Apocalypse (unregistered)10.07.2012 18:53
Clearly children must be protected from predatorial adults. Policy may be developed to properly address this danger without unduly undermining innocents' civil liberties. Even so, I suspect it is a case of too little, too late. I have been investigating the matter of child abuse for about four decades now, and remain utterly disgusted and chilled. Paedophiles have dominated the political, social, economic and religious spheres, and typically abuse their power to shamelessly promote the rape, torture and murder of children. In fact, paedophiles commonly embark upon witch hunts, to ferret out 'trouble makers' (i.e. child advocates Christians who abide by Christ's commandment NOT to abuse children as found in Luke, C.9, V.46-48). After cruxifying the child advocate, the peadophile then dispenses favours to accomplices -bribes, promotions and so forth. More importantly, perhaps, paedophiles only allow like minded proteges into their elite clubs -granted the occasional token innovent is thrown in to fool the public. As Special Agent, I have recommended all universal supports be withdrawn from the human race. Simply stated, I saw no hope for the children. In our world, if you rape, torture and murder children, you are given the death penalty. So, the human race is on death row. You are beginning to experience the shift now...Fukushima...WW 3.... It didn't have to be this way. If only a handful of decent people had intervened, taken advantage of one of hte hundreds of opportunities to redeem the human race...But, alas, it is this way. Suffer the little children...
You know I once had a discussion in the west with this 3 times PhD - historian, anthropologist, philosopher; during the first 3 minutes figured it clearly out he is not gonna tell me anything that deserves listening at all but only hopeless attempts to brainwash and recruit me, the next 27 minutes pretended I listen to him carefully and then said to him “...you know why I respect Putin(?), is not only because he is the leader of a great nation but because he has the ability to speak a normal language everyone can understand – and which mirror reflects his nation as great for having chosen him as a leader. Have you not noticed the evaluations of your western leaders/politicians and political annalists trying to figure out why Putin is such charismatic leader reflecting what I am saying to you here? Surely you can teach me English, but you yourself need to learn how to express yourself in plain or Oxford English, if you will, but to be understood – drop off the Orwellianism.”
Yes you can’t have any laws, any restrictions, you can do anything in public, scream any obscenities, behave as you like, once you introduce any laws, it’s the end, no one can adjudicate, no one can judge, just don’t have laws! Don’t make me puke, the renters of one law breaks total freedom are the paedophiles that try to worm their way through with limp wrist expressions of no censorship! Of course other countries can have what they want, then you can pop down to Aus to get your fill of child abuse, they can be so open and show the world, what is being hidden from others – we can even give them a full view portal! I thought Australia was different, but different flag, same Fraudem BS!
They tried to do the same thing in Australia and failed. They keep trying. It's one of the reasons are current Govt will lose the next election. It's internet censorship plain and simple. Once laws like this are in place they can censor everything on any pretence they like. "Protecting the children" is the usual one. Please, don't make me puke it's as limp wristed as calling someone a racist because you happen to be black. Completely nonsensical. The beauty of it is you don't know it's being censored because you never find it. It's like TV. The dumbing down is death by a thousand cuts. Eventually you are to retarded to know you are a moron. Only idiots believe this is about protecting your sensibilities. Pity though. I thought Russia might be different. Differ ent flag. Same BS.
Comments (28) Sort by: highest rating oldest first newest first
guest (unregistered) 11.07.2012 11:11
Undo
Count Cash 11.07.2012 06:38
Undo
Sergey (unregistered) 11.07.2012 02:08
Undo
Little Johnny (unregistered) 11.07.2012 01:04
Undo
Tomasz (unregistered) 11.07.2012 00:27
Undo
Peter (unregistered) 11.07.2012 00:10
Undo
Tomasz (unregistered) 10.07.2012 23:02
Undo
Tomasz (unregistered) 10.07.2012 21:30
Undo
Peter (unregistered) 10.07.2012 21:21
Undo
ouch... (unregistered) 10.07.2012 21:04
Undo
Tomasz (unregistered) 10.07.2012 20:44
Undo
swedennow (unregistered) 10.07.2012 20:38
Undo
Horseman of the Apocalypse (unregistered) 10.07.2012 18:53
Undo
topolska (unregistered) 10.07.2012 15:16
Undo
Eurasian (unregistered) 10.07.2012 15:13
Undo
pepe (unregistered) 10.07.2012 13:07
Undo
Count Cash 10.07.2012 12:39
Undo
Little Johnny (unregistered) 10.07.2012 12:07
Undo
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