Russia is about to disconnect from the internet. Here's what that means.

On Nov. 1, Russia is poised to disconnect from the internet—in theory.

That is when a long-planned internet bill will go into effect and lay the foundation for a national network whereby internet service providers are controlled by Roskomnadzor, Russia's telecom agency. The goal is to give Russia the power to disconnect from the global internet in the event of a cyberwar and, in the interim, serve up a walled-off version of the web sanctioned by the Russians. It also gives President Vladimir Putin greater control over Russian citizens.

Details of the bill are sketchy. Russian news agency RIA-Novosti says the aim is to provide a "sustainable, secure, and fully functioning" internet. And it will reportedly do so by developing its own version of the internet's address system so Russian web users attempting to reach international sites will instead be directed to Russian versions. Citizens hoping to visit Facebook, for example, might be redirected to Russian social network VK. Read more...