Rostelecom has officially refuted reports claiming plans to implement “whitelists” for home Wi-Fi internet users. These lists, purportedly similar to those already in use on mobile networks, would have allegedly restricted access to specific online resources.
The initial reports regarding the potential introduction of such a system emerged on March 21 via Telegram channels. These claims suggested that Moscow’s home internet providers had instructed their IT specialists to implement such a measure.
The concept of “whitelists” has previously been discussed within the context of Russian internet infrastructure. For instance, on March 18, former State Duma deputy Andrey Svintsov explained that such lists could include essential daily online resources, including banking applications, while excluding potentially dangerous websites.
Furthermore, on March 10, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov mentioned that during mass internet and communication outages in Moscow, implemented for security reasons, “whitelists” are also utilized in accordance with current legislation. Nevertheless, Rostelecom has emphasized that no such restrictions are planned for home Wi-Fi services.
