Latest news with #extremist
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia seeks to fine web users searching for content deemed 'extremist'
Russian lawmakers advanced a bill on Tuesday that would fine internet users who search online for web pages, books, artworks or music albums that authorities have deemed "extremist" -- a move critics have called a dangerous attack on freedom. More than 5,000 entries are on the Russian justice ministry's list of "extremist materials", including songs praising Ukraine, blog posts by feminist rock band Pussy Riot and websites critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Deputies in the lower house State Duma backed the bill by 306 votes to 67 and the text will now be sent to Russia's upper house, where it is unlikely to face any major opposition. The legislation would impose fines of up to 5,000 rubles ($64) on anyone found to have deliberately searched for or gained access to material on the list. It was not clear how the bill would work in practice and whether internet service providers or websites would be responsible for monitoring violations. Russian authorities already block access to thousands of websites accused of hosting "extremist" content. If approved by Russia's upper house, the bill will be sent to President Vladimir Putin to be signed into law. - 'Something out of 1984' - The legislation has drawn rare criticism from across Russia's political spectrum. A few hours before the vote, several activists and a journalist from Russian newspaper Kommersant were arrested for protesting against the bill outside the State Duma. Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin, who organised the protest, said the bill was like "something out of 1984" -- a reference to George Orwell's novel about a totalitarian superstate. "This law punishes thought crimes," he told AFP. The bill was originally about tightening regulation over shipping clerks but evolved as lawmakers covertly inserted amendments, later spotted by the media. Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said the legislation was aimed at "those trying to destroy and ruin" Russia using the internet. But others, including the head of a state-sponsored internet safety watchdog, have warned that the legislation could have broader ramifications. The editor-in-chief of pro-Kremlin broadcaster Russia Today, Margarita Simonyan, said the legislation would make it impossible to investigate and expose extremist groups. The bill would also ban advertising for virtual private networks (VPNs) and impose fines for transferring SIM cards to another person, both ways of browsing with more privacy. bur/asy/djt
Fox News
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Kirk Cameron, David Wells, And The Fight For American Tradition (ft. Emily Austin, Kirk Cameron, & David Wells)
Featuring Guest Host – Author of 'Behind The Badge' & FOX News Contributor, Joey Jones Story #1: Journalist & Activist Emily Austin and Joey dive into the rise of Marxist-aligned candidates like Zohran Mamdani and Omar Fateh, their extremist views such as abolishing prisons and private property and give a warning about the collapse of cities under far-left ideology. Austin also recounts her viral interview with President Donald Trump and learned recently that Stephen Colbert was a comedian and not a political activist. Story #2: Actor & Star of 'Iggy And Mr. Kirk' and Author of 'Born To Be Brave,' Kirk Cameron, weighs in on Jeff Daniels' anti-Trump rant, warns about AI deepfakes and institutional distrust, and champions his upcoming 'See You at the Library' movement, a nationwide grassroots push for faith-based children's story hours. Cameron emphasizes returning to 'first principles,' family, and faith as the cure for societal decline. Story #3: Former New York Yankees & MLB Starting Pitcher, David 'Boomer' Wells, sits down with Joey to discuss President Trump's call to bring back the Redskins and Indians team names, arguing that sports are being corrupted by politics. They also discuss stories of Wells' playing days and Joey praises Boomer's work with nonprofits like 'Tunnel to Towers' and their shared passion for supporting military veterans and first responders. Subscribe to 'Will Cain Country' on YouTube here: Watch Will Cain Country! Follow Will on X: @WillCain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Washington Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Russian lawmakers pass a bill punishing online searches for information deemed to be 'extremist'
MOSCOW — Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill that punishes online searches for information that is deemed 'extremist,' the latest move by government authorities in their relentless crackdown on dissent. The bill passed by the lower house, the State Duma, moves to its all-but-certain endorsement in the upper house and then goes to President Vladimir Putin to be signed into law.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russian lawmakers pass a bill punishing online searches for information deemed to be 'extremist'
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill that punishes online searches for information that is deemed 'extremist,' the latest move by government authorities in their relentless crackdown on dissent. The bill passed by the lower house, the State Duma, moves to its all-but-certain endorsement in the upper house and then goes to President Vladimir Putin to be signed into law. The legislation punishes what it describes as 'deliberately searching for and accessing extremist materials' online. First-time offenders face a fine of up to the equivalent of $64. The official definition of extremist activity is extremely broad and includes opposition groups like the Anti-Corruption Foundation, created by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and the 'international LGBT movement.' It's not clear how authorities will track down violators. Some observers have suggested the information would likely come from internet providers or social media platforms, and police also could randomly check the search history of cellphones or computers. The new legislation also contained a ban on advertising of virtual private network services, but stopped short of banning their use. It did list the use of a VPN as an 'aggravating circumstance' in case of other violations of the law. The Russian authorities have ramped their multipronged crackdown on dissent after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, online censorship and prosecutions for social media posts and comments have soared. Multiple independent news outlets and rights groups have been shut down, labeled as 'foreign agents' or outlawed as 'undesirable.' Hundreds of activists and critics of the Kremlin have faced criminal charges. The new legislation has sparked broad public criticism. Liberal politician Boris Nadezhdin, who sought to challenge Putin in last year's presidential election but was denied a spot on the ballot, told reporters outside the State Duma that he opposed the new legislation. Nadezhdin's aide, Dmitry Kisiev, who picketed the parliament building with a poster likening the legislation to the world of George Orwell's dystopian '1984,' was quickly rounded up by police, who also detained several reporters covering the protest. Even some pro-Kremlin figures have criticized the bill, arguing it would make it impossible for them to track down and deflect comments by Kremlin critics. Yekaterina Mizulina, whose group Safe Internet League has frequently reported dissenters to authorities, has strongly condemned the new bill, arguing it would make it impossible for her group to monitor 'extremist communities' on the web. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russian lawmakers pass a bill punishing online searches for information deemed to be 'extremist'
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill that punishes online searches for information that is deemed 'extremist,' the latest move by government authorities in their relentless crackdown on dissent. The bill passed by the lower house, the State Duma, moves to its all-but-certain endorsement in the upper house and then goes to President Vladimir Putin to be signed into law. The legislation punishes what it describes as 'deliberately searching for and accessing extremist materials' online. First-time offenders face a fine of up to the equivalent of $64. The official definition of extremist activity is extremely broad and includes opposition groups like the Anti-Corruption Foundation, created by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and the 'international LGBT movement.' It's not clear how authorities will track down violators. Some observers have suggested the information would likely come from internet providers or social media platforms, and police also could randomly check the search history of cellphones or computers. The new legislation also contained a ban on advertising of virtual private network services, but stopped short of banning their use. It did list the use of a VPN as an 'aggravating circumstance' in case of other violations of the law. The Russian authorities have ramped their multipronged crackdown on dissent after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, online censorship and prosecutions for social media posts and comments have soared. Multiple independent news outlets and rights groups have been shut down, labeled as 'foreign agents' or outlawed as 'undesirable.' Hundreds of activists and critics of the Kremlin have faced criminal charges. The new legislation has sparked broad public criticism. Liberal politician Boris Nadezhdin, who sought to challenge Putin in last year's presidential election but was denied a spot on the ballot, told reporters outside the State Duma that he opposed the new legislation. Nadezhdin's aide, Dmitry Kisiev, who picketed the parliament building with a poster likening the legislation to the world of George Orwell's dystopian '1984,' was quickly rounded up by police, who also detained several reporters covering the protest. Even some pro-Kremlin figures have criticized the bill, arguing it would make it impossible for them to track down and deflect comments by Kremlin critics. Yekaterina Mizulina, whose group Safe Internet League has frequently reported dissenters to authorities, has strongly condemned the new bill, arguing it would make it impossible for her group to monitor 'extremist communities' on the web. The Associated Press
