Russia's new "Blogger law" goes into effect today.  It requires all blogs in Russia that attract 3,000 daily visitors or more "to register with the state watchdog Roskomnadzor, disclose their real identity and follow the same rules as journalists working in conventional state-registered mass media," according to Russia Times.

In the United States, treating bloggers like professional journalists usually is a good thing, offering full First Amendment protections.  In Russia, it's the exact opposite.  Journalists are subject to tight restrictions.  "The restrictions include the demand to verify information before publishing it and abstain from releasing reports containing slander, hate speech, extremist calls or other banned information such as, for example, advice on suicide. Also, the law bans popular bloggers from using obscene language, drawing heavy criticism and mockery from the online crowd," according to Russia Times.