Russia is working on its Internet. The nation tried disconnecting from the larger global web to test its connectivity. Read on to know what happened.
Russia Working on Sovereign Internet
Last week, the Russian government attempted to cut off its Internet infrastructure from the wider global web. The "Sovereign Internet" of Russia was put to the test, and it appeared to fail, generating outages that indicate the system is not yet suitable for usage, Scientific American reported.
According to Natalia Krapiva, tech-legal counsel at the global digital-rights group Access, Now, Russia said the test was successful. However, she was wondering what they meant by being successful.
Krapiva said she would not take the Russian government's word for it, whatever they say, because the same thing reportedly happened when they tested it in 2021 when they allegedly attempted to block Twitter and Kremlin websites. She added that they couldn't implement it without disrupting other services and websites.
Sovereign Internet is more like a project that uses various tools rather than a completely distinct Internet, Krapiva explained. Deep packet inspection technology, for example, enables significant Internet filtering and offers governments the power to throttle specific connections and websites. By blocking access to websites like Western social media platforms, the Russian government might prevent citizens from reading any information sources other than state-approved media outlets.
Aside from Russia, other nations are also working to create their national Internet to restrict online freedom. If successful, these efforts might break apart the World Wide Web. Over Zoom, Scientific American spoke with Krapiva about the ramifications of this most recent test, Russia's motivations, and how the campaign for a sovereign Internet affects everyone's access to the Internet.
Krapiva shared a series of updates on Twitter about what happened. In one tweet, she said there were reported disruptions in internet services, including Google, Wikipedia, and more, between 2 and 4 a.m. on July 5.
She added that there were fears that those living in the country would be blocked from YouTube, Telegram, and other sources of accurate information. She called the development "extremely alarming."
Why Russia Wants a Separate Internet?
According to Krapiva, Russia wants to ensure that it can eliminate Western platforms and divert as many users as possible to the Russian platforms. Additionally, they want complete control over the Internet space in which Russian users are present and active.
By doing this, they will reduce the technological and political risk involved with later throttling and shutting off service to non-Western platforms. And they want to accomplish this without sacrificing their access to government services, banking and financial services, and other transactions.
The decision to create their internet connectivity reportedly started after one of the largest protests in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union occurred between 2011 and 2013, per Krapiva. In many respects, the Internet and platforms like Telegram helped promote and enable it, challenging the government's authority.
In Krapiva's opinion, the government was frightened and saw it as a serious threat to their power. Following the incident, several laws began to be passed, including the statute governing the Sovereign Internet.
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