Russian authorities have blocked access to Archive.today, a popular website used to circumvent paywalls and archive web content. The action, confirmed by error messages appearing on the site and a listing from Russia’s internet censorship agency, Roskomnadzor, took effect Monday.
The Block and Its Implications
When accessed from the U.S. East Coast, Archive.today and related domains (.is, .ph) now display a message stating that access has been blocked “by decision of the public authorities.” Roskomnadzor confirmed the block in its registry, but did not initially provide a reason. While TechCrunch verified access was still possible through some networks, the move signals a clear effort by Russia to control online information flow.
Why this matters: Russia has been steadily increasing its control over internet access, especially since the invasion of Ukraine. Blocking Archive.today is another step in limiting access to uncensored information for Russian citizens. This also affects those seeking to bypass subscription walls or access content that may be otherwise unavailable.
Archive.today’s Controversial Practices
The block comes shortly after Wikipedia editors removed hundreds of thousands of links to Archive.today due to ethical concerns. Investigations revealed that the site secretly used visitor browsers to launch denial-of-service attacks against a blogger who criticized its operations. This practice, which occurred without user consent, raised serious privacy and security issues.
The context: The incident with the blogger highlights a dark side of Archive.today. While useful for accessing paywalled content, the site’s methods were manipulative and harmful. This controversy likely played a role in the Russian government’s decision to block it.
Ongoing Access and Future Outlook
Despite the block, some users still report being able to access Archive.today through alternative networks. The extent of the censorship is unclear. However, Russia’s track record suggests this is not an isolated incident.
The blocking of Archive.today demonstrates Russia’s escalating efforts to control the internet within its borders, and raises questions about the long-term availability of similar tools for bypassing censorship and paywalls.
The site operators have not yet commented on the ban. The move will likely prompt users to seek alternative archiving services, while also putting pressure on platforms like Archive.today to address ethical concerns.
