CYBER SECURITY - Russian parliament moves to take central control of country´s Internet.

Image Credit. Pixabay/Michael Siebert

Russia's lower house, the Duma, has passed the first reading of a bill which would give the Government the power to control the country's Internet. The so-called 'Internet Sovereignty Act' would require Russian companies to host data locally and make it mandatory for Russia's Internet traffic to be controlled centrally, within the country.

The law states that it is designed to stop Russia being shut out of the Internet by American companies, and instead, allow Russia to control its own fate, however, lawyers fear that the government will use the act to crack down on freedom of speech.