Get a grip Pavelov, he lives there! Don't you think he knows what he's talking about?
You are the one who is brainwashed, not Dmitry!

I spent about 2 months in Belarus and accessed the internet from lots of places, including via a USB fob from the state telco company.

I had absolutely no restrictions whatsoever, anywhwere. I even accessed several anti-Lukashenko websites (because I was curious about what they had to say). If they were going to block anything, they would have blocked sites like that, no doubt. Particulalary on the state telecom company.

I had to show ID when I bought the USB fob though, but that happens in many EU countries too, so it's nothing special for Belarus. I am pretty sure I could have bought it on the market and not shown ID, and then it would have been completely anonymous.

I am afraid you'll have all your stereotypes smashed if you go to Belarus, Scott!
It's a super friendly country, apart from the state bureacracy and that was annoying rather than dangerous.
You can completely forget all the nonsense in travellers books about Belarus - you will not be "shadowed by the KGB" or anything like that. But that's probably what Pavelov would claim!

But as an IT person and as aa follow-up I'd just say that ANYONE, ANYWHERE should be cautious about what they do online. It's not such a bad idea to use an anonymizing service regardless of where you live. Just in case Google goes super-evil... or something unexpected happens in politics. Or simply so you can fileshare in peace.
And Pavelov, did you know: One of the biggest IT news of 2011 is that the US decided that a cyber attack against the US or its interest is "an act of war" by any state that allows it. No other country has such a law and it is extremely aggressive. That means the US could respond with conventional weapons against an country they believes has started a cyber attack. Plus, you'll be monitored just online anywhere you go. For example at the American base Menwith Hall in England, they monitor all of Europe's internet traffic for suspicious activities. No one knows how extensive this monitoring is.