Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – @BednarChuck

If you’re a fan of funny images featuring Russian president Vladimir Putin crying or riding a bear or hummingbird while shirtless, you should probably put off that trip to Moscow, as the Russian government recently made it illegal to post memes featuring celebrities.

The law, according to the Washington Post, prohibits Internet users from publishing any image of a public figure that depicts said individual in a way that has nothing to do with his or her real character, identity or personality and is enforced by Russian media agency Roskomnadzor.

Putting a new spin on an existing policy

The anti-meme policy is not a new law that was recently passed by parliament, the newspaper said. Rather, it’s a new, broader interpretation of an existing policy, and Roskomnadzor said in an announcement that using celebrity images in this way violates legislation governing the use of personal data while harming the “honor, dignity and business of public figures.”

According to Engadget, the updated law comes on the heels of Russian singer Valeri Syutkin, who filed a lawsuit against a website after his image was used in a meme that also included a rather unflattering line from another artist’s song. Syutkin won his case, leading the agency to announce the new policy (which also bans celebrity parody accounts and websites).

If a public figure believes that he or she had been targeted by such a site, account or meme, than he or she can report the individual(s) responsible to the Roskomnadzor, who will pursue action in court. Websites are given the option of blocking the potentially offensive content in Russia, or having their all of their content blocked throughout the country, the Post added.

Latest step in an ongoing online crackdown

Russian officials have been tightening their control of the Web for quite a while now, according to reports. Last year, it started requiring bloggers with more than 3,000 daily readers to register with the government as a way to eliminate anonymous blogs, and it also insists that all websites store data on servers physically located within the Federation.

Also, earlier this year, Moscow approved a law allowing Roskomnadzor to unilaterally block any website without explanation – a power that was promptly used to shut down pages belonging to the most vocal critics of President Putin. Under the new policy, offended parties have to file an official complaint with the agency, and since there is no way to known who or how many would be willing to do so, it is currently impossible to measure the law’s potential impact.

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