Russian authorities have recently taken action to block the popular website Archive.today and its associated domains, including .is and .ph. Error pages displayed when attempting to access the sites revealed the block, indicating that access was restricted ‘by decision of the public authorities.’
The move comes amid growing concerns over internet censorship, with the Russian government agency responsible for such actions, Roskomnadzor, cited as the enforcing body. While Roskomnadzor confirmed the limitation of access to the site, no specific reason was provided at the time of publication.
Archive.today is widely recognized for its role in archiving web content, especially material typically hidden behind paywalls or subscription barriers. Notably, Wikipedia editors recently opted to remove numerous links to Archive.today after uncovering that the site’s code was secretly leveraging visitors’ web browsers to flood a critical blogger’s website with unwanted network traffic.
Despite the block, TechCrunch reported being able to access the Archive sites through alternative devices and networks, further raising questions about the extent and motivations behind the imposed restrictions.
The actions against Archive.today underscore the ongoing challenges faced in the realm of internet freedom and censorship, emphasizing the critical role technology plays in enabling or restricting access to information.
Source: TechCrunch