Russia Wants Everyone Setting Up A WiFi Network To Register With The Government

from the hello-bureaucracy! dept

Tue, Apr 15th 2008 7:49am — Mike Masnick

When WiFi was first becoming popular a few years back, there were occasional stories about countries that hadn't opened up the spectrum necessary for WiFi and how problematic that was for getting WiFi adopted. However, it looks like some bureaucrats in Russia may be taking the whole concept to a new level. Apparently, Russia's equivalent of the FCC, the Russian Mass Media, Communications and Cultural Protection Service (or Rossvyazokhrankultura) have announced that any device that uses WiFi indoors anywhere needs to be registered with the government. Even worse, the registration is per user with a non-transferable license. So every user of every WiFi device will need a separate registration. As Glenn Fleishman notes in the link above: "Setting up a home Wi-Fi network or a hotspot would require what sounds like vast amounts of paperwork, akin to putting [up] a cell tower." I'm sure that will increase adoption. From the sound of it, though, some are questioning whether the group even has the authority to make such a mandate. In the meantime, if you're in Russia and using WiFi, apparently you may want to get ready to sign some paperwork.

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Filed Under: bureaucracy, register, regulations, russia, wifi

24 Comments

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Witty Nickname, 15 Apr 2008 @ 8:17am

In Russia
I thought that in Russia Wifi register you!
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2008 @ 8:27am

Don't worry. As usual, nobody in Russia will give a damn to that law. (Trust me, I'm Russian).
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- Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2008 @ 8:39am
  
  Re:
  Sure thing it will be used to crack down on the opposition (what opposition?)
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Matt Bennett, 15 Apr 2008 @ 8:52am

Well, Putin's been progressively locking everything down lately. This is probably just the first step to greater control over the internet in t Russia. Y'know, control the information, control the people, N. Korea, China, Cuba, all that good stuff.
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- inc, 15 Apr 2008 @ 8:59am
  
  Re:
  you forgot the bush administration
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Matt Bennett, 15 Apr 2008 @ 9:09am

God, shut up.

Someone should add that to the Hitler rule: "If anyone calls anyone else a Nazi and/or compares the Bush administration to an oppressive regime, the thread is officially closed."
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- Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2008 @ 9:22am
  
  Re:
  well, why don't you give us your description of the bush administration?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2008 @ 3:08pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Whatever your political views, it is the duly and freely elected administration of the US government.
    
    Period. End of story.
    
    If you disagree with them, then you can vote for the opposing party in the next election cycle.
    
    And, if you are pissed by the 2004 election results, then perhaps you have have given more money and time to the party of your choice.
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- Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2008 @ 11:33am
  
  Re:
  That is not the "Hitler Rule" by the way.
  
  The "Hitler Rule" aka "Godwin's Law" is merely an observation that if any Internet conversation goes on long enough it will be compared to the Nazi's, typically inappropriately in order to "validate" a claim via exaggeration.
  
  LEARN YOUR INTERNETS OR GTFO.
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  - Matt Bennett, 15 Apr 2008 @ 3:14pm
    
    Re: Re:
    My utmost apologies, however could I misunderstand.
    
    In that case, I so name Bennett's law, in which any conversation will turn to how Bush is an idiot and it's all his fault, and rather than the conversation need "go on long enough", it need barely take any time at all.
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- Rose M. Welch, 15 Apr 2008 @ 2:15pm
  
  Re:
  I'm American and I say that inc has a point. The Bush Administration is an oppresive regime. Hopefully it will soon be over and be a small blip in the annals of our history. (But a huge blip in in the histories of the countries that we invaded.)
  
  His comment might even be valid considering all of the wanting to make Internet spying legal shit that's been going on with our lawmakers recently. Those cases and this Russian scenario have a point.
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- Anonymous Coward, 16 Apr 2008 @ 2:08am
  
  Re:
  God, shut up.
  
  Someone should add that to the Hitler rule: "If anyone calls anyone else a Nazi and/or compares the Bush administration to an oppressive regime, the thread is officially closed."
  Yeah, I bet you guys would like to be able to shut up anyone who criticizes your glorious leader. Fortunately, Gitmo isn't big enough to hold them all.
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Yvi, 15 Apr 2008 @ 9:48am

Laws and Enforcement
I would wonder about enforcement of the law. I wonder who would think that kind of registration is necessary and why.
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Rekrul, 15 Apr 2008 @ 10:45am

Most likely this is an effort to make money from the registration fees. Governments are obsessed with imposing fees for everything. I'm surprised that there are any small businesses left in the US considering the fact that every time you turn around some other agency has its hand out.
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mcgee, 15 Apr 2008 @ 10:45am

"God, shut up.

If anyone calls anyone else a Nazi and/or compares the Bush administration to an oppressive regime, the thread is officially closed."

Matt Bennett:

are you telling God to shut up? That is probably a no-no, and certainly if you are talking about the Christian one.

Um, aren't you comparing Bush and Hitler when you put them in the same sentence and ask us to close the thread when we talk about one, the other, or both? Do you value free speech, or all speech that is not about hitler or the oppressive bush regime?

Thanks, and have a great day!
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- snowburn, 15 Apr 2008 @ 10:56am
  
  Re:
  Sometimes, when it comes to free speech, you get what you paid for :P
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BushIQ-Zero, 15 Apr 2008 @ 10:52am

Bush
Lets face it this guy isnt even worth arguing about. The entire world knows he's a complete idiot!! Bide our time to the end of him.
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asdf, 15 Apr 2008 @ 10:58am

and....cue deviation from actual subject discussion..
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known coward, 15 Apr 2008 @ 12:19pm

hitler was . . . .
a better dancer than churchill, a better painter than churchill, and a better painter.

One Apt. in an afternoon TWO COATS.

and not a dime to you Mel Brooks ahh ahh ahh ahh its piracy on the high seas.
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matt bennet, 15 Apr 2008 @ 2:41pm

Matt
Looks like Matt Bennett needs to read up a bit on whats going on in the world
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- Matt Bennett, 15 Apr 2008 @ 3:15pm
  
  Re: Matt
  ??????
  
  Dude, don't do that, it isn't cool.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2008 @ 7:13pm

gfhddfgdfg

dfsgsdfgdfgsdf
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cruz, 15 Apr 2008 @ 9:52pm

are they dumb?
OK, I thought American lawmakers were dumb ... but this takes the cake!
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Die Hippies, 16 Apr 2008 @ 1:41am

You Obama voters are morons
Ahahaha, yes, I'm sure President Bush has directed Kevin Martin to lock down the internet and begin registering Wifi networks in America. You pukes make me sick.
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