Thread: Obsenity laws in Russia

A lot of the members probably already know that I'm writing a book. I work on it when I have free time and I'll have a lot of free time this summer. I read an article about the new Obscenity law that was passed last year but it didn't define what was considered obscene language. I don't want my book to be banned in Russia so I need to know.
Imo, obscenity isn't necessary to write a good book. I know what the really obscene words are but other words could be considered obscene too.

One example:
In my book, Dmitri drags a secret service agent into Daryl's house and tells Daryl, "I found this dog clawing at your window with electronic tools."
Would calling the agent "this dog" be considered swearing in Russia?
Thanks for any help and discussion on this issue.

Originally Posted by UhOhXplode

A lot of the members probably already know that I'm writing a book. I work on it when I have free time and I'll have a lot of free time this summer. I read an article about the new Obscenity law that was passed last year but it didn't define what was considered obscene language. I don't want my book to be banned in Russia so I need to know.
Imo, obscenity isn't necessary to write a good book. I know what the really obscene words are but other words could be considered obscene too.

One example:
In my book, Dmitri drags a secret service agent into Daryl's house and tells Daryl, "I found this dog clawing at your window with electronic tools."
Would calling the agent "this dog" be considered swearing in Russia?
Thanks for any help and discussion on this issue.

IMO, even in that context "this dog" won't be considered obscene language, though if your secret agent that's caught is Russian, they may find plenty of other reasons to ban your book in Russia. =))

Originally Posted by Eric C.

IMO, even in that context "this dog" won't be considered obscene language, though if your secret agent that's caught is Russian, they may find plenty of other reasons to ban your book in Russia. =))

Thanks! And LOL, no. The agent's a Canadian and the year is 3104 (1,090 years in the future). Daryl's an American, Dimitri's a Russian, and Canada has become a rogue nation with a new weapon that could destroy the planet. Oh, and in 3104 Russia and the US are very strong allies - without Americanizing Russia. Dmitri and Daryl are part of a Russia-US Intelligence agency. There's intelligent aliens involved too but they have 6 limbs and scales and they definitely don't look like humans.
Anyway, I know that even the word for "you" can be considered bad language in Japan if it's used in the wrong context. So the definition can be very different in other countries.

AFAIK there are only four words and their derivatives that regulated by the law, and even if you have them in your book you still can publish it, but it would have special sealed package with a warning.

Originally Posted by dtrq

AFAIK there are only four words and their derivatives that regulated by the law, and even if you have them in your book you still can publish it, but it would have special sealed package with a warning.

Thanks! I'm going to avoid the sealed package thing too because I don't want my stories to need any warnings. I want them to sound like real life but that doesn't have to include everything in real life. It's a real challenge.

Oh, now I finally know what you are talking about.

As much as I HATE vulgar language, I also HATE internet censorship.

If this is ONLY to bleep out rude words and raise the tone on the internet, then fine.

But at the price of privacy and to introduce surveillance on the Runet...That's a pity, I think. But the important thing is what the Russians think.

Runet has a reputation of being open, safe and a good place to host a torrent site or a blog with almost any type of message. Question is whether this will survive the "Obscenity laws". I am guessing, maybe not...

And if people want to be anonymous, remember: Use VPN, a proxy or access the internet from a USB dongle that you bought all with cash. Stay safe online and guard your privacy, wherever you are!

And if people want to be anonymous, remember: Use VPN, a proxy or access the internet from a USB dongle that you bought all with cash. Stay safe online and guard your privacy, wherever you are!

Something readworthy coming from a certain poster, for a change =)) Well done! I would also add, never trust anyone who's trying to persuade you to reveal your location, some of those really think people are dumb enough to just openly say it like that. So don't be! Ironically enough, just the same person who just recommended using a VPN used to be among the most persistent location askers here. =))

Originally Posted by Eric C.

Something readworthy coming from a certain poster, for a change =)) Well done! I would also add, never trust anyone who's trying to persuade you to reveal your location, some of those really think people are dumb enough to just openly say it like that. So don't be! Ironically enough, just the same person who just recommended using a VPN used to be among the most persistent location askers here. =))

I've not asked to see your passport, just for an approximate location, like "Baltics", Poland, or wherever it is.

It doesn't matter massively, it's just silly that you make it into some kind secret and won't say where you are when everybody else is open about it.

Makes you seem untrustworthy and slippery, or like you are hiding something.

But if you don't mind that, by all means continue your secret agent act...

Good to see that we can finally agree on at least one thing though!

Originally Posted by Hanna

Oh, now I finally know what you are talking about.

As much as I HATE vulgar language, I also HATE internet censorship.

If this is ONLY to bleep out rude words and raise the tone on the internet, then fine.

But at the price of privacy and to introduce surveillance on the Runet...That's a pity, I think. But the important thing is what the Russians think.

Runet has a reputation of being open, safe and a good place to host a torrent site or a blog with almost any type of message. Question is whether this will survive the "Obscenity laws". I am guessing, maybe not...

And if people want to be anonymous, remember: Use VPN, a proxy or access the internet from a USB dongle that you bought all with cash. Stay safe online and guard your privacy, wherever you are!

Me and some of my friends have serious issues with obscenity anyway. The most epic online games are 18+. A lot of cool books, movies, and videos too. If they didn't add the language, sex, and extreme violence we coulda played those games. And it's not cool to click on a link and get an age-restricted video either.
We don't want anybody to click on something we post and get those messages. It's too frustrating! And yeah, there's ways to get around it but that just causes a lot of drama at home.
Oh, and all my friends online already know I'm in central Oklahoma so no worries about that. I never post anything serious enough to cause any issues... Well, except when I had a Proxy last summer and posted Midnight Beast. =P

@UhOhXplode Physics sounds good! I am really impressed by you, in light of your age. But seriously, be a bit careful with what you say online - you are aware that NSA is looking and logging what people are doing. I wouldn't have thought this forum was on their radar - they go for major email clients and social sites. But who knows? And if they are just raking everything in, and sorting it later, you don't want to be in writing assuring your loyalties to Russia and condemnation of the USA (I think?) Don't go "liking" and saying stuff on Facebook unless you are sure you will be able to defend it to a future employer or what have you in ten years from now.

The USA still treats its own citizens with a reasonable amount of respect. But it's going completely in the wrong direction. Anything could happen. You might find yourself the citizen of a seriously oppressive fascist dictatorship in 20 years, so you really don't want them to have anything you you to dig up from the ditches.

If, for example, you are in the UK, you join a few radical Islamic groups in social media, make some dramatic comments on Youtube and send a few emails where you discuss travel plans to Syria, they will come and pick you up, question you for a few days, try to make you an informant and put you under surveillance... Has happened a number of well documented times now.

The surveillance is definitely working on these people. And Snowden's confirmed that they pick up anything from industrial, economic info to environmentalists, animal rights campaigners etc. So stay off their radar.... Whether a person is strongly pro Russia like you are at the mom may very well be something they want to track. It's all automatic and I am not saying some spy is individually checking u out - but you want to be "better safe than sorry".

So get a VPN (non US based). Even Eric would agree with me! lol.

Thanks! And thanks for the advise but I'm not anti-America or anything. It's just a lot of the political decisions that I totally don't agree with. But there's a lot of politicians in DC that don't agree either. And if the NSA sees all my posts, PM's, messages, and email online then they know I'm not a threat... except to the forum I spammed with Midnight Beast videos, lol! But I didn't even get an infraction for that.
Anyway, this is the only place online that I use to post political stuff in defense of Putin and Russia because mostly I avoid political threads. But I hope they are watching because they need to understand that the US loses more than it gains by not respecting Putin and Russia. I mean, if the US and Russia were strong allies (and respecting each others governments and cultures), it would be the most powerful alliance on Earth. But that can't happen till the US learns to respect Russia exactly the way it is.
But if I ever get too political online (which I doubt that I ever will), I will get a VPN. Atm, I'm more interested in posting music videos, skateboard tricks, and wonky (non-political) ideas on social media.
Oh, and I hope the NSA liked the list of cool bands I emailed to Tr3b last night! If they didn't then they have no musical taste.