Nina Kalinina1d ago

RE: https://oldbytes.space/@bitsavers/116346860152891077

I can confirm; the number of ways my parents could reach out to me is decreasing. I can give them a call, but the calls from their side aren't reaching me. My primary email cannot interact with their primary email, but at least emails from their secondary email reach mine, and vice versa. The Russian government can read our email correspondence this way, of course.

The VPN is getting actively erased, and there are even rumours of criminalising the use of VPN services, so my parents are afraid of using one. It's even more interesting with the government basically mandating the installation of a government MITM&MDM software on all the mobile devices.

Things are grim. Gotta ask my dad whether he has any interest in returning to the HAM radio circles :D

Show threadhkz22h ago

@nina_kali_nina hmm, Isn't there an even higher risk of being targeted if doing HAM activities?

No idea how it is there, but here in Italy it's explicitly illegal to use any encryption on the amateur bands. You MUST be monitorable.

You only risk a fine and suspension of licence here, but I suspect you might end up much worse there...

Show threadNina Kalinina
@hkz there's an ongoing case of Belarus where people doing HAM were claimed to be terrorists. It is possible that something similar will happen in Russia. At the same time, it's not like I need encryption to ask my dad if he's well :)
Apr 5 at 8:51amWeb
Show threadhkz19h ago

@nina_kali_nina oh shit. Now that you mention it I did remember reading about that Belarus case from a link my local ham radio group shared.

Yeah, indeed encryption for that is overkill and dangerous. I hope you'll at least be left with unencrypted/state-controlled emails too as another route for these basic exchanges and they're not going to cut them off completely.