Post: #1

Whoever called ROK a shill for Putin can shove it, because our whole existence is now illegal in Russia:

Quote: Widely known as the "bloggers law," the new Russian measure specifies that any site with more than 3,000 visitors daily will be considered a media outlet akin to a newspaper and be responsible for the accuracy of the information published.

Besides registering, bloggers can no longer remain anonymous online, and organizations that provide platforms for their work such as search engines, social networks and other forums must maintain computer records on Russian soil of everything posted over the previous six months.

Full story here.

Key takeaway:

Quote:The idea that the Internet was at best controlled anarchy and beyond any one nation’s control is fading globally amid determined attempts by more and more governments to tame the web.

Post: #2

Damn.

Now where's my latest club photos...

Post: #3

What's the most deadly/threatening piece of information on the internet?

Post: #4

(05-10-2014 12:34 AM)soup Wrote:  What's the most deadly/threatening piece of information on the internet?

2 Girls, 1 Cup

Post: #5

A taste of things to come, unfortunately.

Post: #6

I don't trust any description of Russian law coming out of the NY Times, the same paper that grossly distorted its ban of homosexual materials to minors. I'd adopt a wait and see attitude. Besides, as the owner of ROK, I'm far from anonymous.

Post: #7

I don't like this, even if it is aimed at suppressing idiocy like Pussy Riot.

Post: #8

RT article on this:

http://rt.com/politics/155580-russia-int...gger-bill/

Post: #9

Quote:The authors will have to sign the posts with their real name and verify the information they publish. They will also be banned from posting extremist and terrorist information, propagating pornography or violence, and disclosing state or commercial secrets and personal data of citizens. Popular bloggers will not be able to use obscene language and will face some other restrictions, such as a ‘day of silence’ ahead of elections.

That is quite restrictive.

Well guys, my dreams of becoming a Russian blogger are dashed.

Post: #10

Tough choice... Do you want a great blog, staying out of Russia and/or breaking the law? Or do you want to fuck hot Russian bitches?

Post: #11

You didn't live in Russia long enough to understand that bullshit laws get passed there all the time for the sake of being selectively applied when needed.

Or, as we say in Russia: "Строгость законов компенсируется необязательностью их исполнения".

Post: #12

All countries are converging to an oligarchical authoritarian system with the appearance of "democracy." Technologies will control expression, movement, money. Iron hand, velvet glove.

Post: #13

Speaking of new laws in Russia...the indoor smoking ban goes into effect soon. Wonder how that will be applied/enforced.

Post: #14

(05-10-2014 04:37 AM)CaptainCrazy Wrote:  You didn't live in Russia long enough to understand that bullshit laws get passed there all the time for the sake of being selectively applied when needed.

Or, as we say in Russia: "Строгость законов компенсируется необязательностью их исполнения".

Makes sense. Same in Turkey. I don't think Putin is gonna be making sure there aren't any manosphere blogs left in Russia. This law seems like a means to make it legal to shut down anti-government sites. They just can't phrase it like this, so they pass a general law. I wouldn't worry.

Post: #15

(05-10-2014 05:05 AM)presidentcarter Wrote:  Speaking of new laws in Russia...the indoor smoking ban goes into effect soon. Wonder how that will be applied/enforced.

For sure it will be interesting.

Restaurant and pub owners here in Poland were expecting terrible things happening to their businesses a few years ago when similar law was implemented... and they were quite in shock when during the first few evenings they had more clients than before.

Post: #16

You know... in Germany you have to put your full name and adress on EVERY website that uses a .de domain...

Post: #17

(05-10-2014 06:03 AM)w00t Wrote:  You know... in Germany you have to put your full name and adress on EVERY website that uses a .de domain...

You do in all counties as far as I'm aware, but don't German hosting platforms give the option of hiding it from the public?

Post: #18

I think a show like game of thrones is so popular because there's this sense throughout of great impending doom no matter what happens. The whole series is about all the sides amassing power to partake in a great conflict that is soon to come.

I think we are seeing a similar thing happening now as the global tensions starting to rise again. It's clear that we are headed for another Cold War, and maybe even WW3.

Post: #19

(05-10-2014 07:45 AM)Teedub Wrote:  

(05-10-2014 06:03 AM)w00t Wrote:  You know... in Germany you have to put your full name and adress on EVERY website that uses a .de domain...

You do in all counties as far as I'm aware, but don't German hosting platforms give the option of hiding it from the public?

No Im not talking about the domain... Im talking about the actual website. Theres tons of website all over the world without names and addresses on them.

In Germany you have to include an "Impressum" with your full name and address... on every website. That means every page of every website you run.

There are very strict laws also regarding copyrights and they are enforced all the time.There are lawyer agencies who do nothing but search the web for violations of nonsense laws and send out cease-and-desist orders.

You cant even register a .de domain without a German address.

I dont know any other country that does this.

Post: #20

Another one of "those" Russian laws.

As far i understood, the law is about bloggers having to respond for content just as regular news websites.

The problem is, your website could be hosted new zealand, having an international domain, and you could be writting from mars. How are they going to enforce it ? Obviously, law is a big gimmick.

If it was that easy, we would have had those kind of restrictions 10 years ago already.

Post: #21

I have been reading reports that Putin wants to increase state control of the internet in Russia and move more towards the Chinese model. How possible that will be remains to be seen.

Post: #22

(05-10-2014 05:00 AM)Sp5 Wrote:  All countries are converging to an oligarchical authoritarian system with the appearance of "democracy." Technologies will control expression, movement, money. Iron hand, velvet glove.

That will be much harder in the US than in any other country because of the existence of the Constitution, the First Amendment, and a legal tradition that takes a properly expansive view of the freedoms of speech and expression. I don't believe there is another place in the world where free speech is as protected, and where those protections are more difficult to overturn, as they are in the US.

Speaking your mind in the US may in some cases cost you your reputation or livelihood, but you are not going to be thrown in prison by a thug for it, and I don't see that changing anytime soon if ever -- even if some people would very much like it to change. I would not be so confident about any other country, least of all a thugsreich like Russia.

There is a long and deplorable tradition of Western thinkers and intellectuals who, disaffected by the (sometimes very real) problems they see in the West, wish to believe that a lawless thuggish society like Russia has the answers because of a seeming ideological alignment between themselves and the ruling thug du jour. They are inevitably disappointed and sometimes come to serious grief, because the only true ideology of a thug is naked power.

Post: #23

There's already a movement to ban "hate speech" in the US. I've seen plenty of "progressives" harp about "hate speech" not being free speech. Give them time to figure out a way around the constitution.

Post: #24

(05-10-2014 11:33 AM)ColSpanker Wrote:  There's already a movement to ban "hate speech" in the US. I've seen plenty of "progressives" harp about "hate speech" not being free speech. Give them time to figure out a way around the constitution.

True, there is such a movement, as I alluded to in my post. But I think they will have a very hard time getting it done. The First Amendment is very clear, changing the Constitution is virtually impossible, and the current Supreme Court is, if anything, unusually aggressive about protecting First Amendment rights. So while you may unfortunately see online platforms that agree to voluntarily censor speech that they publish (as they are entitled to do), I don't see "hate speech" laws getting any serious traction in the foreseeable future. It's certainly something to keep an eye on and fight whenever it is attempted, but there are more reasons for optimism in this regard in the US than anywhere else.

Post: #25

(05-10-2014 11:41 AM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

(05-10-2014 11:33 AM)ColSpanker Wrote:  There's already a movement to ban "hate speech" in the US. I've seen plenty of "progressives" harp about "hate speech" not being free speech. Give them time to figure out a way around the constitution.

True, there is such a movement, as I alluded to in my post. But I think they will have a very hard time getting it done. The First Amendment is very clear, changing the Constitution is virtually impossible, and the current Supreme Court is, if anything, unusually aggressive about protecting First Amendment rights. So while you may unfortunately see online platforms that agree to voluntarily censor speech that they publish (as they are entitled to do), I don't see "hate speech" laws getting any serious traction in the foreseeable future. It's certainly something to keep an eye on and fight whenever it is attempted, but there are more reasons for optimism in this regard in the US than anywhere else.

If all spheres and fora for meaningful expression are privatized and placed into limited channels, as is being done, the Constitution is not operative. When net neutrality is gone, the Roosh V Forum will load like it's on a 24k dial up modem. How many of us will stick around?

Even in the public sphere, the authorities have been able to limit demonstrations to "First Amendment Zones" a mile from anyone who you might want to express an opinion to.

Oh, you might be able to rant and rave in some public park, but more likely you'll be arrested for disturbing the peace.