Information technologies and society: the right of Russians for a free access to Internet will be legalized

In the nearest future Russians will be given a legal right for a free access to Internet.

The State Duma has formed a special working group, which is preparing amendments to the law “On the information”. According to these amendments the access to Internet in Russia will be one of the human rights, such as freedom of speech. According to the chair of the Council on human rights under the RF President M. Fedotov, the bill will state: “The state guarantees that Internet will be accessible from any spot of Russia”.

It is supposed that the amendments will solve the problem of the digital divide. Today only 11% of the Russian population has broadband Internet access. Moreover the costs of Internet access is much lower than in province; besides, in many villages it is just impossible to connect the network.

Practical ways of solving the problem of the digital divide are not yet clear. One of the ways might be equipment of pay telephones with Wi-Fi access points. Another solution is to use the network of digital television broadcast as Internet channels. The possibility of creation of Internet-centers free of charge is also considered.