As throngs of Russians took to the streets Friday to mark the passing of anti-Putin activist Alexei Navalny, the Russian government tightened its grip on free speech and accurate information by forbidding companies to offer or advertise virtual private networks (VPNs) not approved by the government.
The new ban, which had been announced in the fall, is intended to stop people from using VPNs to get around Russian internet monitoring and censorship. Efforts to control what Russians can learn and discuss include the blocking of Facebook and Instagram, criminalizing open dissent, and jailing journalists like Evan Gershkovich.
Many Russians, perhaps 20% to 30%, have responded by using VPNs. Even before the VPN ban took effect, the Kremlin had been curbing the population’s ability to use them.
Russian authorities have been slow to act, but the government has been experimenting with a nation-wide intranet system. Market solutions are still available, and tech progress may outpace the government’s ability to react to VPN developments. Telegram remains an important source of information for interested Russians.
