Putin’s ‘Big Brother’ Surveillance Law Criticized by Snowden
Source: Bloomberg News
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an anti-terror law criticized for eroding civil-liberties as well as the coffers of telephone carriers, who may have to spend an estimated $30 billion plus to implement it. The law compels Russias phone companies to keep recordings of users calls and internet activity for six months. The government will establish the precise requirements of the law, according to the Kremlin website.
Putin, facing parliamentary elections in September as the nation endures the longest recession in two decades, has been increasingly cracking down on dissent. This latest action, dubbed the Big Brother law, sparked broad criticism, including from former security contractor Edward Snowden, whos received asylum in Russia after leaking U.S. secrets.
"Signing the Big Brother law must be condemned," Snowden said on his Twitter account. "Beyond political and constitution consequences, it is also a $33 billion tax on Russias internet." Social media played a major role in the organization of mass protests following accusations of fraud in 2011 elections, the biggest unrest since the Russian leader came to power more than 16 years ago.
Putting aside the ethics, morale and philosophy of these amendments, operators will need to make huge investments into new infrastructure which does not exist at the moment, Egor Fedorov, an analyst of ING Bank, said in a note. MegaFon PJSCs estimates of the cost of buying equipment and building data centers amounts to half of its current market value, he said.
Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-07/putin-s-anti-terror-law-sends-telecommunications-companies-lower
Seedersandleechers
(3,044 posts)suicidal to me.
Night Watchman
(743 posts)Snowden thinks he's too high-profile to be gotten rid of, but there are several dead Russians who thought the same thing.
laserhaas
(7,805 posts)Not prudent
U.S. would arrest...but Putin dont need no stinkin prison
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)He should be admired for it.
laserhaas
(7,805 posts)I know about doing the right thing
And about trying to do too many right things
He serves no good purpose by taking shelter from a tyrant and then speaking out against that tyrant incrementally
If he wants to make a statement he can walk out of the protection
But he shouldn't be so full of hubris to think that Putin will tolerate ( and not scheme to quash) his pet
I didn't say he was wrong for what he did
said it wasnt prudent...
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)I like him where he is. He didn't choose it, they stopped him and there he is.
The "tyrants" are in charge in most countries.
treestar
(82,383 posts)and is he realizing he went to a land less free for asylum?
NWCorona
(8,541 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)sends their citizens down the same path.
No more free press, government owns all medias, government filters all web activity and keeps it in country. No online games, twitter, websites, youtube global. Only Russian Gov. monitored internet trolls and media allowed.
I'll always miss my Formosa Friends, I know you're 'working' from prisons. Love, Merry of Rallos Zek