Taking Control? Internet Censorship and Surveillance in Russia
Berlin: Reporters Without Borders (2019), 77 pp.
Other editions: also published in German and Russian
"The present report traces the development from the first bans on content in 2012 to the present day. It shows how critical editorial teams are put under pressure and how the authorities attempt to silence individual journalists and bloggers. It provides information about new online media that report on societal ills against all odds, and it raises the question about the relevance of international platforms for the freedom of expression in Russia. This report is based on about 30 interviews with journalists and activists, lawyers and human rights defenders conducted by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Germany press officer Ulrike Gruska and RSF Germany board member Gemma Pörzgen in Moscow and Berlin." (Preface)
1 Overview, 6
2 Laws restricting press freedom and freedom of expression: Chronology from 2012 to 2019, 10
3 Changes of ownership and dismissals: Editorial departments under pressure, 23
4 Courageous and committed: The diversity of Russian online media, 32
5 Arbitrary and severe penalties: Every user risks prosecution, 45
6 The intelligence service is reading right along: The fight against anonymous communication, 56
7 Pressure on internet companies: The crucial role of international platforms, 66
8 Recommendations, 74
2 Laws restricting press freedom and freedom of expression: Chronology from 2012 to 2019, 10
3 Changes of ownership and dismissals: Editorial departments under pressure, 23
4 Courageous and committed: The diversity of Russian online media, 32
5 Arbitrary and severe penalties: Every user risks prosecution, 45
6 The intelligence service is reading right along: The fight against anonymous communication, 56
7 Pressure on internet companies: The crucial role of international platforms, 66
8 Recommendations, 74
