Russia Bans Anonymous Access To Wi-Fi

August 08, 2014

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed an order prohibiting anonymous access to Wi-Fi in public places.

The order Medvedev signed on August 8 requires users of Wi-Fi in areas of so-called "collective access" to identify themselves before logging onto the Internet through Wi-Fi, although the specific public areas affected are not immediately clear.

Access will only be available after users provide their full names, confirmed by an ID.

Hardware must be identified also. 

Russian authorities have been tightening controls over the use of the Internet and access to the World Wide Web.

A recent law requires bloggers with more than 3,000 daily readers to register with the country's mass media regulator, Roskomnadzor, and conform to the regulations that govern Russia's regular media outlets.

Bloggers also cannot remain anonymous.

Based on reporting by ITAR-TASS, Echo Moskvy, and RT