Belarus Correction

From Deutsche Well:
"Contrary to reports, Belarus plans no Internet censorship"

Businesses selling goods online to consumers in Belarus will face a number of new regulations effective January 6, but contrary to media reports, Belarus has no plans to ban access to foreign websites. Several media organizations worldwide have picked up the report, claiming that Belarus was planning to curb Internet use and establish a new Digital Iron Curtain. Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko is known for his authoritarian rule. Last year, for instance, he tried to crack down on users of social media networks to organize anti-government protests. His muzzling of the opposition has been condemned by both the United States and the European Union. Keir Giles says that accusations of online censorship in Belarus are "complete fiction"But several observers say the new law will have no impact on how people in Belarus use the Internet. "The law says very specifically what the restrictions are," Giles told Deutsche Welle. "There is no mention whatsoever of not being able to browse foreign websites." Aleksey Ponomarev, a Belarusian IT lawyer, wrote in English on his blog on Wednesday that the new law, which takes effect on Friday, "has not brought any radical changes to the Belarussian online market or heavy limitations of human rights and freedoms. Neither visiting foreign websites is considered a violation nor has any of the foreign websites been blocked." Ponomarev added that Internet service providers will be required to identify users and technical devices providing Internet connectivity, pointing out that "this requirement does not differ from usual worldwide practices of data retention." Another Belarusian lawyer, Sergei Zikratsky, told Deutsche Welle that the new rules will, however, impact businesses with online shops. Under the legislation, businesses selling goods and services online to people in Belarus must be registered in the country. Those that don't register will face fines of around 100 euros ($128) for violating the law. "The sanctions are aimed mostly against Belarusian companies," said Alex Shablovsky, director of Elab Media. Some Belarusian websites hosted in Russia may be forced to come home. Today, many Belarus-based companies rent hosting services from Internet service providers in Russia to save money. With the new law, the government hopes to clamp down on this practice and create better controls for collecting tax revenue from e-commerce services.

^ Apparently the article that I posted a few days ago and which most of the world wrote about as being true was made up by some guy at the Library of Congress. Belarus has enough problems and doesn't need fake new stories to make itself look worse than it already is. I don't really see an issue with forcing Belarussian Internet companies actually being in Belarus. I would like the same for American companies being forced to have a US presence. ^

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15648186,00.html