April 06, 2025

Log Your Blog, or Else


Log Your Blog, or Else
So, whatcha writing there? The Russian Life files

On April 4, the Deputy Head of Russia's State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Anton Gorelkin, announced on Telegram that a law outlining consequences for well-known social media users who don't register with the government is in the works.

In November 2024, a law was passed requiring anyone with a blog or social media presence of greater than 10,000 followers to register with Roskomnadzor, the agency that oversees internet use in Russia. Since then, 214,000 netizens have applied for registration, with 134,000 approved. 

The new law would impose a penalty on those who fail to register. What the punishment would be remains to be seen.

In addition, Gorelkin floated the idea of lowering the threshold below 10,000 followers. The law would impact not only users of large, international apps like TikTok, YouTube, X, Pinterest, and Facebook, but also Russian sites like Odnoklassniki, Telegram, and RuTube.

The move comes as the Russian state has cracked down on internet use as part of a wave of restrictions following the start of the war in Ukraine. This has included both blocking sites for Russian users (often sidestepped with a decent VPN) and strangling internet communities it deems harmful. The drive to force influencers to register is one way to further exert control and surveillance.

You Might Also Like

Pyrates Beware!
  • December 01, 2024

Pyrates Beware!

Russian internet users are switching to legal means for streaming media — a consequence of the war in Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955