FYI

[fufaraw]

Unsure at what level of concern I am, from well, concern, to panic, I'm sharing this. I haven't decided what I'm going to do, but I think it's worth talking about amongst my flist.

http://twistedchick.dreamwidth.org/4141297.html

Opinions, concerns, remarks? I have no answers for questions--this is all I know at the moment.

Comments

[fireheart13.livejournal.com]

I could be totally wrong, but it seems so frantic. I can't help feeling that LJ is a really small mote in the sea of things, and that the Russians have better things to do than tr to take us over one LJ at a time. Of course, if it all turns out to be true, then feel free to laugh at me as I lie in the mud, trampled.

I made a DW a million years ago, but I never use it, and there isn't anywhere else I am like here.

[onlythefireborn.livejournal.com]

You already know my mind on this. Increasingly it looks like Putin is going to be part of our lives longterm, and I can't begin to predict what he will or won't find important or threatening (or just amusing to eradicate). There must be something on LJ that interests them, since they spent money to buy it.

[fufaraw]

What I know is, when he Russian company SUP bought LJ, they wanted it to build a Facebook alike for Russia, since FB is unavailable there. Over the years since the purchase, the new owners have shifted LJ to a popularity based posting site, with "Top Journals" and where your LJ falls in the stats, etc. Fandom has complained about LJ's lack of attention to us and what we want LJ to do--honestly, fandom is the tiniest portion of LJ to the owners, a sliver they don't really pay attention to, that they mostly ignore and dismiss.

So it seems to me that TPTB want to monitor Russian citizens for sedition and possible treasonous trends in discussion and posting. I don't understand what sort of useful information they could gather from people in other countries who post fanart and fanfic.

[fufaraw]

See above, the Russian purchase of LJ as a Facebook-style social media site, ten or so years ago. All they've done now is to move the servers to Russia, thus removing US protections of the press.

[zara-zee.livejournal.com]

Yeah, maybe I'm naive, but I doubt Putin and co are in the slightest bit interested in the musings of Australian fangirl. Maybe if I was worth hacking I'd be worried, but as I am No-one Interesting or Important, I'm not too concerned.

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

I have a DW, I will not be porting my entire lj life onto it. It sounds to me like scare tactics, or you know, not to be a bit of a bitch, but it sounds like they're using this to get more traffic on DW. LJ is small potatoes compared to much else on the internets and I for one am not covered by the damned First Amendment so if I get hacked I get hacked. All they'll find is daft pics of Steve and I and lots of porn!

If I were remotely in league with anyone who Putin might wanna check on then I'd be worried but I'm a no-name-brit with pervy leanings. What exactly will they gain from me?

The Russians have always wanted lj to be a FB like engine, it's slowly being transformed into thus but the difference is the people using it are completely NOT those kinds of entities.

If it all turns out to be true feel free to laugh at me but right now I am staying put.

[fufaraw]

I share your opinion. I've been outspoken, here and elsewhere, about politics and societal issues, but other than that I can't think of any interest my LJ would have for anybody who isn't fannish. I'm not going anywhere, at least without more reason than this.

[fufaraw]

Exactly, and well said. I'm right there with you in "what are they gonna hack from me?"

I hate the notion of being under watch, but...Lj's always had lurkers, right?

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

Exactly, one of which is shaped like a certain Angel we all know and love, if I can deal with him seeing my Castiel porn then I can deal with Russians giving me the hairy eyeball ;)

[epiphyta]

If I were Russian or living in some parts of Eastern Europe, or I wrote a lot about politics, or if this account were tied at all to my passport name, I would be watchful pending further evidence of misconduct (ie, if the rumours about pro-Ukrainian accounts being wiped prove out) and possibly have things backed up to a DW account in case the place shuts down without warning -- which I think is more likely, as the site financials aren't great.

In the meantime, I'ma keep calm and write about how much I like where I live, which anyone is welcome to read.

[fufaraw]

I don't feel especially at risk, either.

Or, you know, could just be laziness and unwillingness to move house. Either way, wait and see is my MO for now.

[epiphyta]

I did just create an account at dw; may I add you, if you're there?

[fufaraw]

http://arliss.dreamwidth.org/read

Let me know your DW id and I'll circle you back. There's a fu account there too, but neither has been posted to for...a very long time. There are people there in my circle who I don't follow elsewhere, and I use the arliss account to keep up with them there.

[epiphyta]

Same ID as here, love. I don't imagine I'll start posting there unless and until things here show signs of going badly, but better to have the bolthole and not need it, yes?