Internet censorship refers to the government's power to block or regulate content on the internet, such as websites, social media accounts or messaging services.
Typically, this practice is implemented for political or moral purposes - to make sure citizens do not view content that could make them think differently or lead to protests against the government.
Censorship comes in many forms, from blocking certain sites or content online to installing software that controls what appears on your device. Censorship may also occur at an ISP level where governments force ISPs to block certain content.
Roskomnadzor has gone above and beyond just blocking websites or issuing censorship orders to monitor internet activity in Russia by compiling dossiers on individuals and organizations posting regime-critical material online.
Another form of censorship involves governments teaming up with companies like Google and Facebook to implement filters in countries where these corporations have an infrastructural presence, giving these corporations more control than ever over which information gets access and which search results come back. This practice can be particularly dangerous as it gives these corporations too much power over what information gets available and which search results return.
Apart from its direct consequences, internet censorship can have far-reaching economic repercussions. Censorship could even force entire industries that were driving economic development forward to shut down.
Internet censorship should never be ignored, as its impact can wreak havoc with our economy and information flow. Furthermore, it may have serious ramifications on individual freedoms in countries which impose Internet Censorship Laws.
