Putin’s New Internet Law Tightens the Noose on Free Speech and Threatens Global Online Freedom

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a draconian law targeting online searches for content deemed “extremist,” escalating Moscow’s already aggressive assault on internet freedom. Under this new legislation, individuals who deliberately seek out certain information—defined under Russia’s alarmingly broad notion of extremism—face fines up to $60, effectively criminalizing curiosity and dissent. What Constitutes 'Extremism' in Putin’s Russia? The Kremlin’s definition of extremism reads like a political blacklist. Opposition groups such as Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation and even the international LGBTQ+ movement fall within the crosshairs. Such expansive labeling transforms legitimate political opposition and minority advocacy into punishable offenses, shutting down...