Kazakhstan’s grip on virtual reality

As the world considers how best to regulate the ‘virtual reality’ of online information exchange and communication, Kazakhstan has taken a tough and clearly disproportionate step to tighten its grip on the internet. The main target of public indignation was the equation of blogs, chat-rooms and other websites, which used to be deemed a user’s private territory, with mass media outlets, imposing the same liability for libel, calumny, violation of privacy and other breaches, which are subject to criminal prosecution in Kazakhstan.