The recent ban of Ukraine on the Russian social network “Vkontakte” and “Classmates”, as well as other Russian Internet services sparked a loud controversy. Someone sees this as a blow to freedom of speech, the other a manifestation of anti-Russian paranoia inherent in the government of Kiev, and others — a perfectly legitimate measure to protect the country from the aggression of a powerful neighbor.
But, first of all, it tells about the style of government of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. To be clear: I understand the argument that the use of the means of communication have access to Russian intelligence services, in conditions of war is absurd.
I well remember my surprise due to the fact that at the beginning of 2015, when I corresponded with the press Secretary of the Ukrainian army in Eastern Ukraine, she wrote me from the server Mail.ru. Probably surprised I’m not alone, because after a few months this lady has acquired Pandora on Google.
Also I have known cases, when the Crimea was judged by Pro-Ukrainian activists on the basis of their correspondence in the network “Vkontakte”. I admit that the Russian intelligence services can learn much from the accounting system 1C, which are popular in the first place, the average business.
The number of those dissatisfied grows
But not it be easier easier to ban Ukrainian soldiers and officials to use mail on Mail.ru but not to block the popular social network “Vkontakte”?
Any of the listeners who have a page, for example, on Facebook, of course, you may imagine their feelings if he suddenly couldn’t log into my account, which holds pictures of his children from infancy, where he talks with his former classmates, whom otherwise he will not see. Of course, you can change the social network, but then still someone would lose, not to mention family photos. In General, to say the least, excited about this.
The absurdity of blocking becomes especially apparent when you realize that a ban is not feasible. Over the last four years Russia by adopting new laws forced Internet service providers to establish technical means that allow you to lock any web page, not any of the Kremlin. Whether it’s pirated movies, porn and opposition news. The list of blocked sites now totals several million names.
Ukraine is nothing like that. According to the forecasts of representatives of the Internet sector, the cost of establishing such systems reached a billion dollars. And probably not one I know that Ukraine could use that amount to better advantage.
However, all this is typical of President Poroshenko. As one of my friend in Kiev: “He banged his fist on the table, and then it turns out that the run is impossible, and that this threatens the interests of one of its allies. So in the end nothing changes, and only increases the number of dissatisfied”.
