News about blocking of access to popular Russian social networks has provoked the country-wide debate. The most serious doubts have arisen as to the mechanism for implementing the ban of these Russian online services. Many Internet providers are simply lacking the technical means to block access to the sanctioned websites while their users know a lot of ways to bypass the blocks. As a result, even two weeks after the implementation of the NSDC decision, the feeds are still updated on pages of Ukrainian-speaking users of VK in common with official websites of Ukrainian media. So, in fact, President's Decree is still a long way from its full implementation.
It is worth mentioning here that almost immediately after blocking of access to Russian social media and news websites in Ukraine there were rumors about the forthcoming introduction of liability for non-implementation of the ban on access to the Russian social networks. According to head of Communications Department of Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs Artem Shevchenko, the relevant bill was drafted in Verkhovna Rada by people's deputy Anton Gerashchenko. And now journalists are already having the explanatory note of the bill in their possession.
The bill's initiators estimated that a fine ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 hryvnias would force citizens to completely give up on their visits to Russian Internet resources. In addition to fines, providers who ignore the NSDC decision dated April 28, 2017, can be at risk of their license withdrawal and criminal prosecution for participation in terrorist activities. Under the bill proposed by Anton Gerashchenko, Ukrainian organizations and media that have not removed their accounts from Russian social networks should not go unpunished. They are liable to a fine ranging from 9,000 to 10,000 hryvnias. For placement of so-called 'social buttons' and inclusion of links on Ukrainian websites a fine of 7,000 hryvnias is imposed.
And, above all, the proposed bill increases demands for activity of Internet providers whose number must be reduced by half before the end of 2017. The Presidential Decree No.133/2017 contains penalties for violations of its regulations and assigns monitoring its implementation to cyber-police, Ukraine's Security Service, as well as, National Commission that puts into practices the State regulation in the field of communication and informatization. The legislators recommended devoting additional budgetary funds for improving the effectiveness of the authorities' work in virtual reality.
New fines for visits to Russian social networks are a logical extension of sanctions war against Russia. As envisioned by authors of the bill, the fines should increase the civil liability limit of Ukrainian citizens who must understand their role in enhancing national security and be held responsible for their activities on the Internet. The other question is that heavy fines will certainly create a wave of repulsion, and first of all, among young people who use social networks, actively acting in the country's political and public life. Let's see how the people's deputies dish up this bill for own citizens and see if they are ready to take their criticism. Considering the fines may be too high for many people by becoming a convenient instrument of pressure placed on media and business by Ukrainian authorities, it is more likely that the criticism will be tough.
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