Russian schools roll out mandatory classes warning students about VPN dangers

Russian schools hold lessons on the risks of using VPN services

According to Главком: Schools across Russia have begun widespread lessons warning students about the dangers of VPN services. This information comes from DW, citing social media posts by educational institutions. In the Vologda region, for instance, students were told that free VPN tools could expose their personal data.

At a school in Irkutsk, classes titled 'VPN: Outside the Law – What Is and Isn't Allowed Online' and 'Using VPN as an Aggravating Factor in Criminal Cases' were conducted. These sessions were led by teachers alongside local police and prison service representatives.

Protests and growing public tension

Identical posts warning about the harms of VPN appeared in schools in the Arkhangelsk and Vladimir regions. Discontent is rising among parts of Russia's political and business elite due to widespread mobile internet blackouts. Against this backdrop, State Duma deputy Vitaly Milonov urged Russians to use internet shutdown periods for sex to boost birth rates.

Protests against internet restrictions are taking place in cities across the country. In Moscow's Bolotnaya Square, human rights activist, writer, and publicist Alexander Podrabinek was detained along with two young men. A young woman who shouted:

“Dear OMON and police, we need your protection”

was taken to a police van but later released. These events highlight growing societal tensions linked to internet control and restrictions on free speech.

This campaign against VPN services in Russian schools may represent a state effort to tighten control over the information space and limit youth access to alternative news sources. Amid rising public discontent and increased protest activity, such actions could signal the authorities' push for harsher repression in the realms of information and free speech. Recent developments point to potential consequences for human rights in the country, as internet control becomes a key tool for maintaining power.

As the Kremlin tightens its grip on digital freedoms, the recent mobile internet disruptions in Russia have sparked significant unrest. These measures, coupled with the educational campaigns against VPN usage, suggest a broader strategy to suppress dissent and control information flow among the youth, further fueling public discontent and protest actions across the nation.