Since October, the Russian Government has been attempting to create a ban on swearing in the Russian Media. According to an article by Ria Novosti in The Moscow News, if the bill is passed, violators will be charged a fine of up to 2,000 Rubles or $6,400.
The bill has even gone so far as to assign responsibily [to the authors] of viewer comments as well. Co-author of the bill, Sergei Zheleznyak, said,
"The media would even be held responsible for swearwords in the comments readers leave on their websites."
In January, the bill was still in motion. Interfax.com reported that,
"Zheleznyak said parliamentarians and executive authorities are constantly
receiving requests from citizens asking them to prevent the use of foul language
on television programs and in the press."
As a result of numerous requests such as these, Zheleznyak and Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky have drafted this new bill. According to an article on RT.com, the first reading of the bill has been approved by Russian lawmakers. Zhirinovsky does not want to stop there. Authors Ria Novosti and Lliya Pitalev report that,
"Zhirinovsky believes that lawmakers should go even further than banning obscene language and outlaw the usage of foreign words as well whenever they can be replaced by Russian synonyms."
It appears that the government would like to place a ban on swear words in the media in order to maintain Russia's reputation for its beautiful language. Zhironovsky's ideas also show a desire to preserve Russian language and culture by eliminating foreign words as well.
The media in Russia is continiously becoming more restricted and censored. Furthermore, the ban on swear words in the media is an extension of an already approved law that restricts the use of swear words in public. From taking down websites and banning swear words and foreign words in the media, the Russian government seems to be attempting to preserve the character of Russian citizens.