[higherpurpose]

Anonymity in an uncensored Internet and in a democracy in general is just as important for the same reasons.

Right now in Russia there are two kinds of people: those too afraid to speak or do anything, and those who get silenced. In such a situation there's no way to have a contrarian voice unless you're anonymous.

[malkung]

My impression from reading Russian blogs on LiveJournal is that there are two kinds of people in Russia right now: those extremely anti-Putin and those extremely pro-Putin, in about 50/50 proportion. No one is "too afraid" or "silenced".

[dcc1]

Until one day those antiPutinities are mysteriously rounded up and sent to Siberia, heres a thought for you if Putin did that tomorrow what would the "West" do? the answer will be nothing, nada, zero

If I was in Russia now i would shut up and plan my exit strategy, as most of those who could afford did so.

[malkung]

Here you are thinking about Russia in your Western categories. Those who did exit did so not because they want to be able to speak up against Putin, but for economic or professional reasons. Also Anti-Putinites are so many on the Internet you can't possibly round them up. Russians have been venting their political views on the Internet ever since the Internet has become available, I don't see how this can ever be stopped. Also Siberia is not such a bad place :) Also, the "West" doesn't need to do anything in Russia, unless it wants a mess just like in Ukraine, only with lots more of unhinged nationalists/patriots/communists/liberals and with nuclear weapons getting involved. It's not going to be nice pro-Western people against a horrible totalitarian regime.

[dcc1]

I was born in the USSR, my birth cert has the hammer and sickle, so please don't lecture me on "the Russian way of thinking"

What has risen in the last ~15 years is a much more cynical, evil, ugly and nastier version of what USSR was.

Hell my parents still watch Russian channels and it doesn't take long to realise that there is some sort of mass psychosis taking place in the old country, fuelled by state controlled media.

I actually feel very much sorry for those brave souls that do speak out, seeing as to what happened to all those journalists that did so, you are right ending up in a Siberian gulag aint the worst outcome.

[spenvo]

I agree, which is why programs (now in effect) like this one are so threatening:

http://www.netfamilynews.org/online-id-verification-in-south...