Wikipedia Takes on Russian Regime Over Web Censorship

'Major Internet sites and human rights advocates sharply criticized a proposed law that would grant the Russian government broad new powers to restrict Web content, ostensibly to protect children from pornography and other harmful material. Critics said the law could quickly lead to repression of speech and a restrictive firewall like the one in China.

Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, shut its Russian Web site on Tuesday to protest the proposed measure, and instead posted a large warning on its home page: â??Imagine a world without free knowledge.â? The notice said the proposed law â??can lead to the creation of extrajudicial censorship of the Internet in Russia, including the closure of access to Wikipedia.â?

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