The Russian Presidential Library is planning to launch an alternative to the free encylopaedia Wikipedia, designed to give more detailed information about the country.
According to an analysis by the library the present online resources do not have enough detailed and reliable information about Russian regions or the life of the country.
The Wikipedia alternative comes in the wake of the Kremlin’s decision to gain more control over the Internet and promote pro-Kremlin content through censorship, which is already being done in state media channels such as Russia Today.
The new website claims to provide accurate information about country and its population, the diversity of the state, and the national system of Russia. The content will be updated constantly and will be accessible to all internet users.
Reports suggest that the Russian edition of Wikipedia has more than a million entries, and it is not known how the substitute will affect the site’s presence in the country.
The Russian government is closely monitoring online content, and since February state authorities have been granted permission to block websites without a court order.
In addition bloggers with more than 3,000 followers are required to register with the Moscow’s mass media regulatory agency and follow the rules applied to that of larger media outlets.
