Russia charges teenager for listening to a banned song using a VPN
A 19-year-old in Russia's Kurgan region is facing a fine under a strict administrative law after using a VPN to search for and listen to an "extremist" song. This marks a chilling escalation in the Kremlin’s war on digital privacy.
In Kurgan, Russia, a 19-year-old is being charged for attempting to listen to a banned song online. Authorities claim the teenager used a VPN to circumvent local internet restrictions. The charge is based on Article 13.53 of Russia's Code of Administrative Offences, which penalizes the search for extremist materials. The young man now faces a fine of between 3,000 and 5,000 rubles for allegedly searching for and listening to an extremist audio track.
This marks a harsher crackdown on internet freedom in Russia, as the enforcement of this law has instilled fear among users. The Kurgan teenager is not the first to face charges under this legislation; a similar case was brought against a 20-year-old medical worker from Kamensk-Uralsky. The incident has sparked concern among digital privacy advocates, who question how the teenager's online activity was detected while using a VPN.
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
