So what sort of stuff is off limits for bloggers? Well, first and foremost, they'll be expected to confirm the authenticity of any information they publish and avoid disclosing people's personal data. Those rules in particular are aimed at protecting politicians from controversy and smear campaigns. Beyond that there are prohibitions against posting violent or pornographic content and even using obscene language (complete horse shit). And anything the government deems "extremist" or related to terrorism is also off limits.

The obvious goal is to scare bloggers into avoiding posting controversial opinions or information -- especially about government authorities. But there is every chance that the new law could fall before Russia's Constitutional Court, where many expect it will face a stiff challenge. Failing that, there's a relatively obvious loophole since the legislation only applies to bloggers within the country. Dissidents writing from overseas would be safe from prosecution. However, the government would likely just end up blocking such sites.