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

from the hello-bureaucracy! dept

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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Comments on “Russia Wants Everyone Setting Up A WiFi Network To Register With The Government”

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24 Comments
Anonymous Coward says:

Re: 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.

Anonymous Coward says:

Re: 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.

Rose M. Welch says:

Re: 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.

Anonymous Coward says:

Re: 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.

mcgee (user link) says:

“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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