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DW
4 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Russia to crack down on what it deems 'extremist' content – DW – 07/25/2025
In a fresh move to restrict free speech, Russia's parliament has approved legislation punishing those who browse what the state deems as "extremist" online content. How will this affect users? On July 25, Russia's upper house approved a new censorship law that introduces fines for anyone caught searching for or accessing content officially labeled as "extremist." The law will take effect once signed by Russia's president Vladimir Putin. The sweeping legislation doesn't stop there — it also imposes penalties for promoting VPN services, the very tools many Russians rely on to bypass government censorship and access blocked information. After Russia's lower house, the State Duma, endorsed the law on July 22, a small group of people protested outside Russia's parliament, for the first time in a long while. One of the signs read "For a Russia without censorship. Orwell wrote a dystopia, not a manual." Police quickly detained the man holding it. The classic dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, published in 1949, is widely interpreted as a warning against totalitarian rule, inspired by the government oppression the author observed in Nazism and Stalinism. Another protester was Boris Nadezhdin, who had been expected to be the only liberal candidate in the 2024 presidential election. At the time, the electoral commission refused to register his candidacy. "The first stage was banning websites. Now they're banning people from searching the internet. This is already close to thoughtcrime," Nadezhdin told DW, alluding to Orwell's same novel, and its central theme of citizens being punished for thinking differently than the state. The new legislation stands out even among the dozens of censorship laws the State Duma has passed before and after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to the bill, simply searching for so-called "extremist materials" online will now be considered an administrative offense, punishable with a fine of up to the equivalent of €55 ($64). Previously, punishment required some form of engagement with banned material, such as posting a critical comment on social media. What counts as extremist materials is defined by a list maintained by Russia's Justice Ministry. It currently contains over 5,000 entries. Officials and lawmakers claim the law targets those who systematically seek banned content, not average citizens casually browsing, but have not offered clarification over what constitutes systematic searches. The registry features flyers, pamphlets, books, newspapers, films, video clips, works of visual art, and songs. In theory, it is meant to include content that incites interethnic hatred, as well as writings by leaders of Germany's National Socialist Workers' Party and Italy's fascist party. In reality, the list also includes works criticizing the government, or speaking out against authorities. One of them is the 2002 book by Russian defector and former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer Alexander Litvinenko. Titled Lubyanka Criminal Group, this nonfiction work details how Russian security services allegedly staged the bombing of residential buildings in Moscow in 1999 and other terror acts in an effort to help Putin rise to power. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The blacklist also includes materials from the religious movement Jehovah's Witnesses, which Russia designated as extremist in 2017. In 2023, journalists from the independent Russia news outlet 7x7 reported that the list of "extremist" materials has been growing by hundreds of new entries every year. Between 2011 and 2022, nearly 15,500 administrative cases were opened for the distribution of "extremist" content. That's an average of 1,300 cases per year, most of which resulted in fines of up to about €50. The law has sparked widespread public outcry, with even ordinarily pro-Kremlin figures posting critical messages on social media. Margarita Simonyan, for example, editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled broadcaster RT, complained that the new law would prevent her from investigating and "shaming" extremist organizations. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, authorities have added dozens of prominent Russians and organizations critical of the war to its list of banned extremists and terrorists. Among them are writers, musicians, journalists, and popular bloggers, including, for example, the writer Boris Akunin, or TV host Alexander Nevzorov. Meta, behind Facebook and Instagram, was declared extremist in March 2022, following an announcement that the company would permit posts endorsing the killing of Russian soldiers on its platforms, which Russia said constituted "Russophobia." State Duma deputy head Sergei Boyarsky, from the conservative ruling United Russia party, sought to reassure citizens, claiming that using Meta's social networks, or searching for materials created by people declared extremists would not be punished. According to him, fines would only apply to searches for content officially classified as extremist. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In reality, it's hard to predict how Russian police will enforce the new law. "Everything will depend on the particular person in uniform who's been given the power to interpret your guilt," Dmitry Zair-Bek, head of the human rights legal project Pervy Otdel, told DW. According to him, it's likely that, as is already happening, Russians' phones will increasingly be checked during border inspections. Another possible scenario would be if Russia adopted the kind of policing practices used in neighboring Belarus. There, platforms like Instagram, X, and YouTube, which are blocked in Russia, remain accessible. However, subscribing to banned channels on these platforms is prohibited."Censorship in Belarus exists in physical space. Police are asking to check citizens' phones on trains and in student dormitories. Refusing is nearly impossible," Dmitriy Navosha, a co-founder of the international online sports publisher told DW. Access to his website is not restricted in Belarus, but the site was labeled as extremist after Navosha repeatedly spoke out against Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko and the security forces' violent crackdown on protesters in 2020. As a result of the extremism label, visitors to the online sports site risk punishment simply for viewing its content. Since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has severely tightened restrictions on free speech, such as banning the spreading of what it deemed "false information" about the war, and tightening "foreign agent" designations for outlets and organizations considered to be politically active with the help of foreign funding. In the spring, the governmental anti-corruption agency, the Russian Investigative Committee, reported that 605 cases had been opened under two new articles of the Criminal Code since 2022 — one for spreading "fake news" about the Russian army, and another for "discrediting" the armed forces. Under these laws, Russian citizens have been fined or imprisoned for calling Russia's actions in Ukraine a war, rather than a "special military operation," as well as for posting on social media about events such as the killing of civilians by Russian soldiers in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. At the end of 2024, the human rights organization Memorial reported that at least 10,000 political prisoners were being held in detention across Russia. When Russian President Vladimir Putin signs this new law, the number of people being punished for exercising free speech could rise significantly.
Irish Independent
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Letters: It looks like we're going backwards on housing, with tenements by a new name
How do you live in an apartment this size? How can a couple work from home – how can even one person work from home? Despite the tiny size, the cost is still a big mortgage, but how can anyone expect people to live and enjoy their company when so close to one another? Home may have been where the heart was, but I think that is no more. Colette Collins, Co Wicklow Israel has truly mastered Orwell's concepts when it comes to linguistic abuse George Orwell wrote in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four that 'war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength'. The term 'Orwellian' has become synonymous with the corruption of language to mean its opposite. An organisation called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation lures starving Palestinians into aid distribution centres where they are massacred by Israeli soldiers. Israel's 'defence' (another Orwellian word) minister Israel Katz calls for a 'humanitarian city' to be built on the ruins of the city of Rafah, where the entire population of Gaza will be imprisoned. Clearly, the word 'humanitarian' should be added to Orwell's list. Raymond Deane, Broadstone, Dublin Concentration camps are next for Gazans – how is this allowed to happen? Israel is now mooting the building of concentration camps, which I cannot get my head around. Two hundred years ago, we had similar camps in the United States in their treatment of the native Americans. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Eighty years ago, we had the Nazi concentration camps. Only a few years ago, we had the camps in Srebrenica. Can the world permit Israel to do the same? Our silence is a mark of our guilt. Paul Doran, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 If we tighten our belts in Budget 2026, expect rail network plans to take a hit The doom and gloom regarding Budget 2026 has begun in earnest, and no wonder, given the state of the world. Long-term, I wonder if it will have an adverse effect on the proposed rail network plans to reinstate a train service from Dublin to Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal, scheduled to take 30 years? Or will the M3 motorway, with the most expensive tolls in the country, continue to shoot fish in the Cavan barrel? Peter Declan O'Halloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan Housing children stuck in B&Bs for two years must be priority for politicians It is reported that 14 children have been in emergency accommodation for over two years. This is unacceptable, in particular for the health and well-being of the children. I believe this matter should be addressed as a matter of urgency by our elected representatives. Michael Moriarty, Rochestown, Co Cork Not to rain on anyone's parade, but the summer omens don't look good Yesterday was St Swithin's Day and, true to reputation, it poured in Armagh. Some might still hold to the superstition that 40 days of rain will follow. Frankly, in Armagh, that's not a prophecy, it's the pattern. I was reminded of a summer long ago when I was a J1 student in California. I cycled daily along on El Camino in blazing heat. Nearing Colma, a place known less for its nightlife and more for its abundance of cemeteries, I'd pass a roofer's yard. Painted on the side of the building, in bold, sun-bleached lettering, were the wise words: 'It Will Rain Again.' They should carve that into the Armagh City crest. It would be more honest than any Latin motto. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Co Armagh Pub closures signal that the fabric of rural Ireland is beginning to fall apart According to a new report commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, about 2,000 pubs have closed in Ireland since 2005. It says more than 100 are closing every year. It could be argued that there is a changing way of life. Covid-19 may also have contributed. The bottom line in any enterprise is that it needs to turn a profit to sustain itself. Clearly, pubs are struggling, and the present taxation regime and regulatory regime militate against them being viable. I feel pubs are vital to the social and economic fabric of rural Ireland. They act as community hubs and are often the only social gathering place. They play a part in fostering community cohesion and even economic activity. The late Austrian-American actor and activist Theodore Bikel once uttered the following words, which I find apposite to the above: 'You don't really need modernity in order to exist totally and fully. You need a mixture of modernity and tradition.' John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Has the EU now crept so close to Nato that the two cannot be told apart? On the RTÉ One O'Clock News we were informed that Donald Trump had decided to supply Patriot missiles to Ukraine for its defence. He was quoted as saying the EU was paying for them. By the time the Six One News came on, we were informed it was Nato that was paying the US for the missiles. So who actually is paying? If it is the EU, how are we in Ireland not to be involved? Is it Nato, or has EU moved so close to Nato that they are considered indistinguishable by the US? Is this another step for our Government as it seeks to creep away from our cherished position of neutrality? Paddy Murray, Castlepollard, Co Westmeath Donegal boys look to be unstoppable and brought tears to my eyes on Sunday I watched last Sunday's semi-final between Donegal and Meath in awe. Our wonderful Donegal boys played with such brilliance and passion that my heart nearly stopped and tears appeared. With the greatest of respect to Kerry, I'm going to put my head on the block and predict Donegal won't be stopped. Brian McDevitt, Glenties, Co Donegal
Euractiv
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
Right-wing climate sceptics blast EU's anti-disinformation drive
Climate change denialists and relativists nailed their colours to the mast in the European Parliament's environment committee on Tuesday, as they laid into the EU executive over its campaign against fake news and climate disinformation. 'As citizens of a free society we are each entitled to our own opinions but not entitled to our own facts,' Emil Andersen, a mid-ranking Commission official, said at the start of the debate. But his words weren't welcome by several conservative and right-wing lawmakers, with some linking the European Commission's anti-disinformation activism to the authoritarian dystopia famously imagined in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Neo-denialism Alternative for Germany's (AfD) Anja Arndt questioned the scientific community's consensus that climate change is caused by human activities, and argued that the fight against disinformation is a 'front-on attack on freedom of expression, freedom of science, and the truth'. Fellow AfD party member Marc Jongen took a similar line: 'If the Commission decides now what is a fact and what isn't, and what is opinion and what isn't, then we're on the road to a totalitarian system.' But the criticism of the Commission's initiative was not limited to the fringes of the right wing. Sander Smit, a Dutch member of the centre-right European People's Party, said that fact-checkers tended to make 'a certain type of discussion impossible', and that the Commission would be going 'a step to far' if it were to fund fact-checkers during election campaigns. Enlightenment values Liberal and social democrat lawmakers, on the contrary, highlighted the importance of a debate informed by science. Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, the Renew group's lead negotatiator on the 2040 climate bill, said that the acknowledgement climate change and willingness to fight it was not an ideology – while denying it was precisely that. Gerbrandy urged his colleagues to keep the political debate 'clean' and called for a coalition against climate change deniers. He also asked the European Commission to debunk in writing the climate 'nonsense' spouted by the AFD – but failed to extract such a promise. Belgian social democrat Bruno Tobback recalled the stories of Galileo and Copernicus – 'who had science and facts on their side' but were persecuted by the practitioners of a "backwards ideology'. 'For God's sake, let us not go back to the dark days of European history, where dogma and opinions held us back – or tried to hold us back, luckily without success,' Tobback said. Commission wisdom Andersen, the Commission official, ended the debate by pronouncing on the distinction between opinion and facts. 'Both opinions and facts are indispensable to a thriving democratic conversation," Andersen said. "This is not what is being questioned.' 'But while facts should continue to shape our opinions, our opinions must never be allowed to colour the facts.' The Commission, he continued, 'doesn't decide what is fact'. That was the task of peer-reviewed scientists – 'this is what underpins the policymaking of the Commission', Andersen said. (rh, aw)
Tom's Guide
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix just added a gripping dystopian thriller movie — and there's never been a better time to watch it
In the words of Olivia Rodrigo, 'it's brutal out here' (yes, I've had the pop stars' Glastonbury headline set on repeat this week). I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds the current state of society in general more than a little concerning, and that's where 'V for Vendetta' comes in. This 2005 dystopian action-thriller arrives on Netflix this month and presents a future vision of the United Kingdom where the country is ruled through media propaganda and extreme suppression. Okay, so things aren't quite that bad in the U.K. in 2025, but still, the movie's commentary on a cruel, totalitarian government feels more timely than ever. Putting the politics of the comic book movie aside, taken on its own merits, it's still a gripping watch, anchored by excellent leading performances from Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving. Plus, John Hurt pops up in a supporting role, which is a nice bit of synergy, considering the 'Alien' star also featured in the most popular movie adaptation of 'Nineteen Eighty-Four," pretty much the biggest name in dystopian fiction. So, if you're looking for an engaging action-thriller movie with something worthwhile to say, this week, here's why 'V for Vendetta' should be at the top of your Netflix watchlist. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore, David Lloyd and Tony Weare, 'V for Vendetta' takes viewers to a future Britain ruled over by the Norsefire party. It's ruthless leader, High Chancellor Adam Sutler (Hurt), ensures the population is controlled using totalitarian methods like propaganda and public executions. Evey Hammond (Portman) works for a state-influenced TV network, but her life is thrown into chaos when she encounters V (Weaving), a mask-wearing vigilante who is working to spark a revolution. After aiding V's escape from Norsefire enforcers, Evey becomes a public enemy and must go into hiding. Slowly developing a bond with V, the pair are hunted down by a police inspector (Stephen Rea). But as he gets closer to uncovering V's whereabouts and his mysterious past, he begins to wonder if he's become a pawn in a corrupt system. 'V for Vendetta' was already a great movie in 2005, and its message about the power that the general population can wield when united under a worthy cause is increasingly worth listening to. Plus, its nods to propaganda and the dangers of misinformation are undeniably relevant in our current social media age, where 'fake news' can spread unchecked like wildfire. But as noted, even divorced from its core message, 'V for Vendetta' is a rip-roaring thrill ride that packs well-choreographed action and a gripping plot with plenty of reveals and some seriously slick moments. I particularly enjoy the ending, which ties it all together neatly. V's Guy Fawkes mask has become a rallying symbol for several anti-establishment groups over the past two decades, which has served to only enhance the movie's enduring reputation. It's a slick and effective dystopian thriller with plenty of substance beyond the fast-paced action and well-paced plot. Over on Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a strong 90% score from viewers, and while the critics score is a little lower at 76%, the site's consensus reads, 'Visually stunning and thought-provoking, 'V For Vendetta's' political pronouncements may rile some, but its story and impressive set pieces will nevertheless entertain.' Not quite feeling this one, or seen it already? Here's a guide to everything new on Netflix in July 2025, which includes plenty of watchlist-worthy movies and bingeable TV shows. Watch "V for Vendetta" on Netflix now
Scroll.in
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
Nathan Waddell, The Conversation
Stories written by 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' might have been inspired by author George Orwell's fear of drowning The novel isn't typically associated with fear of water. Yet it's filled with references to sinking ships, drowning people and the dread of oceanic engulfment.
