Aleksey Zhafyarov, the deputy head of Directorate to supervise enforcement of laws on federal security, interethnic relations and countering extremism was frank with the agency:

“We have a paradoxical situation on our hands: there is a whole group of companies that maintain the internet and derive a profit, yet take no responsibility for the impact on society of the content they host.”

The Prosecutor’s Office proposes that law-makers clearly delineate “what is unacceptable on the internet in terms of public morality, public safety… and anti-extremist legislation.” Since determining the author of online content is frequently impossible, the agency also calls on law-makers to “place responsibility for the dissemination of any such materials on those who furnish space for it.”

“We are speaking about the self-controlling of the providers and telecommunications companies,” Zhafyarov continued. “Of course, the question of which information is permissible and impermissible in each concrete case must be determined by a court decision. But now, it is nearly impossible to adopt a ruling, since there are no specific laws which would let us put the question of blocking access to information, or recognizing information as extremist before a court.”

Critics of the proposal are worried that opposition blogs and websites may branded “extremist” and summarily shut down, a tactic that has been used offline against non-governmental organizations.

The Prosecutor General’s proposal isn’t the first law connected with regulating the internet to be filed this year. In January, Russia’s Parliament began work on a law “On the Internet,” which would create a legal framework for dealing with all online matters. In February, Vladimir Slutsker, a Federation Council delegate, introduced legislation that would force all internet sites with more than a thousand daily visitors to register as mass-media outlets. A third project currently in the State Duma would put limits on foreign investment in the telecommunications and internet industries.