This is Randi Hacker with another Postcard from Abroad from the KU Centers for East Asian Studies and Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies.

Branded a “CIA special project” by Vladimir Putin, the Internet became the newest casualty in diplomatic relations between Russia and the US. The Russian government has sworn to protect Russian Internet users against threats from the West by creating its own “Wikipedia” so that its citizens have access to more “reliable” by which we mean ”state-approved” information. Critics say that this newest effort by the Russian government to control online information is part of a growing trend towards total state control of media – censorship reminiscent of the Soviet Union. While this sort of censorship may not be a new concept in Russia, neither is dissident writing – but where communist party leaders feared the pen being mightier than the sword, the Putin Administration should definitely fear the blog being mightier than the ban.

With thanks to Adrienne Landry for this text, from the KU Center for East Asian Studies, this is Randi Hacker. Wish you were here.