Look, this is a rally in defense of the internet and against the Yarovaya package. People are out in the streets because the government is damaging the internet, making it more expensive and worse. It is trying to read their messages and listen in on their phone calls.
Just not here—in Hungary.
On October 21, 2014, the government of Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán (a big admirer of Putin) tried to pass a law introducing a so-called “internet tax,” which would have required both providers and end users to pay. Initially, the government proposed that providers pay €0.46 for every gigabyte downloaded by a user. The government presented this primarily as a way to raise extra revenue for the budget.
But users calculated that the new tax would double the cost of internet access. People saw it as outright robbery and as an attempt to impose internet censorship. More than 200,000 people liked the protest page on Facebook. The first rally drew only 10,000 people, after which the government proposed capping the tax at €2.50 per month for users and €17 for internet providers. But people did not accept this token concession and demanded the repeal of the extortionate tax on incoming gigabytes of traffic.
Some demonstrators pelted the office of the Fidesz party with old computer parts.
The government refused to make real concessions, stalled for time, and rolled out “compromise solutions.” A few days later, on October 28, between 35,000 and 100,000 people attended the rally, according to different estimates. Protests were also held in smaller towns across Hungary.
On October 31, Viktor Orbán announced that the law would not be adopted in its existing form and declared the launch of a “consultation” with the expert community. The outcome of those consultations was a plan to reduce VAT for internet companies. In other words, the internet did not just avoid getting worse—it actually got better.
And what about Russia? The Yarovaya package is far worse than Orbán’s proposals. Even the state-owned Russian Post and Rostelecom sounded the alarm and officially said that service rates would rise sharply. Mobile operators said the same.
As for data retention and access for the security services, it is sheer madness—digging through your private life will become all too easy.
As a result of the Yarovaya package, the internet in Russia will become more expensive, worse, and slower. Operators will start cutting back on development. Overall, the only dynamically developing sector in Russia will be thrown back by ten years.
Now the question: how many times have rallies against the Yarovaya package been held in Moscow?
Answer: 0 times.
The Hungarians came out once—it did not work. Twice—it did not work. And then they kept coming out until they got their way. And they did it in winter too (yes, a Hungarian winter—but even a Hungarian winter is colder than a Moscow summer).
There, too, there were know-it-alls saying, “Why protest? It’s not constructive. Let’s discuss it, hold a round table, let the professionals handle it.” As always, the position of these “constructive” people led nowhere. The demonstrations changed everything.
Leaders in the Orbán/Putin mold understand only people who take to the streets. So people need to go out. Go out knowing that at first the crowds will be small. Knowing that after the first, second, third, and fifth rally, nothing will change. Knowing that very soon we will hear a chorus of whiners saying, “We’ve already gone out twice and achieved nothing, it’s all pointless.” Knowing that the venues offered will be the most marginal ones (as now—in Sokolniki). Knowing all the other difficulties and dilemmas, like whether an event is officially authorized or not. And still, go out.
Because when the internet doubles in price and your phone conversations are stored somewhere forever, the only person you will be able to blame is the one you see in the mirror.
After all, so far a rally against the Yarovaya package has been held in Moscow 0 times.
We have achieved nothing for one reason: we have done nothing.
All organizational details are here.
How to get there:
Come yourself and invite everyone.