Russia bans VPNs, anonymous web browsing

  • 31/07/2017
Computer
Using VPNs in Russia will now be illegal. Photo credit: Getty

President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that prohibits technology that provides access to websites banned in Russia, the government's website shows.

The law signed on Sunday is already approved by the Duma, the lower house of parliament.

It will ban the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) and other technologies, known as anonymisers, that allow people to surf the web anonymously.

It comes into force on November 1.

Leonid Levin, the head of Duma's information policy committee, has said the law is not intended to impose restrictions on law-abiding citizens but is meant only to block access to "unlawful content", RIA news agency said.

It comes after Apple admitted it was removing VPN apps from its app store in China, bowing to pressure from the Chinese authorities.

In New Zealand, VPNs are perhaps best-known for allowing access to the US version of Netflix, which often has a bigger collection of shows.

Reuters / Newshub.