Slashdot Mirror
Russian Officials Consider Ban On Wi-Fi Use For Kids
dsinc writes that Russia's "Communications and Press Ministry has proposed banning children from using Wi-Fi networks in public, potentially making cafes, restaurants and other locations providing the service responsible for enforcing the law. An official with the ministry's Federal Mass Media Inspection Service, known as Roskomnadzor, said the ban should apply to people under 18 years old. Locations providing Wi-Fi access would be held legally responsible for implementing the rule, and failing to meet the proposed measure would result in a fine ranging from 20,000 rubles to 50,000 rubles ($640 to $1,600), Vedomosti reported Thursday." The law, ostensibly to "shield" children, would apply to a fairly broad definition of child — anyone under 18.
Is he afraid of kids getting access to porn or is he afraid of kids becoming politically active and starting a "Russian Spring" or sorts?
How in hell do you tell the age of someone connecting to your network?
In Soviet Russia, Wifi is spelled W-Ifi!
To better represent the struggle of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie.
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
This is being proposed in a country where minors can buy alcohol virtually anywhere.
Now those kids are on my Wi-Fi . . .
"Get off my Wi-Fi!"
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
I guess this is the right occasion to follow his sig and tag the post as flamebait while still mostly agreeing with it :)
Now, now. The correct way to appease a Grammar Nazi is to give them a big hug, then softly say "There, Their, They're..."
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
Pissing off the youth is always a good idea for a career politician. They never remember stuff like this when they are old enough to vote.
No, he is right, In russia w-ifi is ifi if it works or not.
In reality this law will create just another bribery channel for government officials. In Russia, various government agencies, including fire department, fishing, environmental, whatever regulating/monitoring bodies can close businesses for the slightest violation of infinite borderline idiotic regulations. For example, _every_ vehicle was supposed to have first aid kit and functioning fire extinguisher. Not sure if it's the case anymore, but I would not be surprised if in addition to that you need 50 meters climbing rope and gas mask, just in case. This is just one more way to facilitate bribery across the wider spectra.
Blocking internet access to impressionable youth cuts both ways, but it cuts harder against Western influence.
Slashdot's rate-of-post filter: Preventing you from posting too many great ideas at once.
To be sure that one does not offer Wi-Fi for kids, the only solution is to require authentication with a real name or similar. Else, the government can arrest you because you cannot prove that a kid did not use your network.
A very smart move to hide the real reason; more control.
What the hell are you talking about?
Ksenzov said the proposal is tied to the Internet restriction law that comes into effect Nov. 1, allowing the government to block Web pages that fit the law’s definition of material harmful to child welfare.
This is typical Russian mentality, there are thousands of laws such as this already on the books. The aim is to make every citizen a prosecutable criminal at the governments whim by crafting laws that are impossible to reasonably follow. This allows the government to crack down on criminals they don't like, and leaves the rest of the criminals terrified and compliant. Saying that Russia is a nation populated entirely by criminals is a sadly true statement.