MPs back law to block social media sites

Russia could block American social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube under a new law that MPs say is aimed at halting ‘‘censorship’’ of Kremlin-backed news organisations.

Critics of President Vladimir Putin say the legislation is an attempt to prevent opposition activists such as Alexei Navalny using social media to publicise corruption and call for protests.

Russian government-funded media outlets hit out at Twitter in

August after it began identifying them as ‘‘state-affiliated’’. Last month the country’s media watchdog complained to Google over a decision to remove a prominent state media presenter’s YouTube show from its ‘‘trending’’ section.

The law would apply to social media websites that prosecutors and the foreign ministry deem to be violating ‘‘fundamental human rights and freedoms’’ by restricting access to Russian media.

Russia’s media watchdog has itself blocked a number of foreign websites, including social networking site LinkedIn, over a refusal to store its data on Russian servers. It has also tried to restrict access to Navalny’s website.

The new law was approved less than a week after Russia Today, the Kremlin-run television channel, asked Putin how he planned to ‘‘protect’’ Russian media from Western restrictions.

Putin said Russia needed to introduce its own online platforms to rival United States social media giants. However, Russia’s own Sputnik search engine was closed down this year after failing to capture more than 1 per cent of the country’s internet audience.

In a further tightening of restrictions, Russia’s parliament has given courts the power to jail activists who are deemed to receive funds from overseas but refuse to identify themselves as ‘‘foreign agents’’ on their websites. The law could be used against Navalny, whom the Kremlin has accused of working with the CIA.

Analysts say the moves are a sign of the Kremlin’s nervousness before parliamentary elections scheduled for September. Only 29 per cent of Russians intend to vote for Putin’s party, according to a recent poll.