How's Putin's truth lockdown challenges the promise of an open internet

The internet promised a world in which no government could fully hide the truth from its people. Russia's free-speech crackdown following its invasion of Ukraine is testing that premise as never before. How everyday Russians view the conflict is likely to determine their willingness to support Vladimir Putin and his war. Russia has succeeded in driving out or shutting down some of the most popular internet services while also squelching the remnants of Russia's own independent news operations. That means Russians who want information beyond what the state-sanctioned news outlets provide will have to rely on private or encrypted messaging services, virtual private networks or other technical workarounds. Russia has also applied varying restrictions on a number of social media platforms; the Kremlin's social media crackdown is paired with new limits on media coverage that could be wielded against anyone sharing information online. A law passed Friday in Russia threatens to imprison journalists and individuals for up to 15 years if they publish what Moscow deems to be "fake" information about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Growing Russian domestic protest against the Ukraine war would be the most telling sign that Putin's effort to block reliable information from the Russian populace has failed. The absence of such a movement would show that he has succeeded, but it's going to be hard for the rest of the world to have a clear view of the true extent of demonstrations and discontent within Russia.