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Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

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Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#41

Post by strogonoff »

yarcob wrote: post #6
ansgri wrote: post #3

I wonder if it will affect the mail exchange, or only client access?

According to the article, it sounds like Fastspring themselves blocked customers with Russian IP addresses from signing up, and removed their app from Russian app stores. I'd hope that even if the Russian authorities would block Fastmail, that they would only block their web servers and maybe their IMAP servers, but not their SMTP servers. The latter would impact a lot more people in Russia.

Anecdotally, Fastmail seemed to already be blocking Russian sign-ups 4 years ago. I know at least one non-user who couldn’t sign up around that time because of this issue. Either IP or (more likely) billing address was the issue, if I recall correctly.

Alternatively, their sign-up form was broken for all users at that time, but I hope they’ve better SREs than that.

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#42

Post by detritus »

ilammy wrote: post #5

Wait a minute. Why would Fastmail preemptively block Russian IPs if they don't have any legally vulnerable presence in Russia? Just to deny Roskomnadzor the joy? There is Russian proverb that aptly describes such behavior: "назло маме отморожу уши" (cut off your nose to spite your face). > What you can do if you're affected > - Talk to Roskomsvoboda: a digital rights advocacy organization. I like when private compani…

O/T

> There is Russian proverb that aptly describes such behavior: "назло маме отморожу уши" (cut off your nose to spite your face).

Curious to finally learn its origin, I had a Google - particularly as the phrase popped into mind this morning on my walk to work.

It Doesn't appear to be of Russian origin, per se. Certainly, It was something I heard a fair few times coming out of the mouths of Scottish family when I was younger.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_...

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#43

Post by utucuro »

hansel_der wrote: post #31
mensetmanusman wrote: post #4

I wonder if the fastmail protocol could be hidden in AWS-like data streams to take an approach like telegram. If they try to block it, they shut down their entire digital business infrastructure. I have been looking for an alternative to Gmail, does anyone have recommendations? Fastmail? Proton mail? What put me over the edge is my young friend had a heart attack, went to the hospital and (during recovery) logged int…

> I wonder if the fastmail protocol could be hidden in AWS-like data streams this reads funnily non-techy i mean web-mail exists or are you reffering to some imap/smtp-in-http? should be good as long as it is ssl-encrypted and runs over tcp-port 443, no?

Fastmail created the JMAP Standard, published by IETF. Take a look here: https://jmap.io/

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#44

Post by fauigerzigerk »

hansel_der wrote: post #31
mensetmanusman wrote: post #4

I wonder if the fastmail protocol could be hidden in AWS-like data streams to take an approach like telegram. If they try to block it, they shut down their entire digital business infrastructure. I have been looking for an alternative to Gmail, does anyone have recommendations? Fastmail? Proton mail? What put me over the edge is my young friend had a heart attack, went to the hospital and (during recovery) logged int…

> I wonder if the fastmail protocol could be hidden in AWS-like data streams this reads funnily non-techy i mean web-mail exists or are you reffering to some imap/smtp-in-http? should be good as long as it is ssl-encrypted and runs over tcp-port 443, no?

Web mail can replace IMAP/POP, but you're still going to need an SMTP server to receive email. Or is there some sort of widely supported SMTP over HTTP protocol that I'm unaware of?

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#45

Post by explorigin »

mensetmanusman wrote: post #4

I wonder if the fastmail protocol could be hidden in AWS-like data streams to take an approach like telegram. If they try to block it, they shut down their entire digital business infrastructure. I have been looking for an alternative to Gmail, does anyone have recommendations? Fastmail? Proton mail? What put me over the edge is my young friend had a heart attack, went to the hospital and (during recovery) logged int…

Try Infomaniak (https://www.infomaniak.com/en/hosting/web-and-mail/mail-host...). I've been using them for years. Solid platform, not 5-eyes, good webmail experience, cheaper than fastmail.

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#46

Post by jtbayly »

mytailorisrich wrote: post #39

Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of the Russian government, I think that their general goal is sensible and we'll see more and more of this from all countries. By their general goal I mean " the Russian media regulation body, the Roskomnadzor, demanded that Fastmail comply with Russian data laws. This is because Russia has a national goal of controlling the flow of information within their borders. " (from the blo…

Actually, GDPR went way beyond that, demanding that every website in the world comply with their laws, regardless of whether or not you had customers in the EU, unless you count somebody reading your personal blog as a “customer.”

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#47

Post by asnelt »

mensetmanusman wrote: post #4

I wonder if the fastmail protocol could be hidden in AWS-like data streams to take an approach like telegram. If they try to block it, they shut down their entire digital business infrastructure. I have been looking for an alternative to Gmail, does anyone have recommendations? Fastmail? Proton mail? What put me over the edge is my young friend had a heart attack, went to the hospital and (during recovery) logged int…

I moved from fastmail to Runbox many years ago. The Runbox service is very reliable and all the servers are outside of the US.

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#48

Post by donkarma »

genghizkhan wrote: post #40
mensetmanusman wrote: post #4

I wonder if the fastmail protocol could be hidden in AWS-like data streams to take an approach like telegram. If they try to block it, they shut down their entire digital business infrastructure. I have been looking for an alternative to Gmail, does anyone have recommendations? Fastmail? Proton mail? What put me over the edge is my young friend had a heart attack, went to the hospital and (during recovery) logged int…

I'll put in a recommendation for MXroute (mxroute.com). They're geared towards slightly more technical users, ime, but there's practically no limits (apart from rate of outgoing mail). Unlimited domains, unlimited aliases, unlimited accounts, even. The entire service uses DirectAdmin as a management UI so it's pretty easy to use. They've even got plans geared towards resellers. The owner/sysad is an ex-Digital Ocean…

That lifetime plan is tempting

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#49

Post by tyingq »

mytailorisrich wrote: post #39

Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of the Russian government, I think that their general goal is sensible and we'll see more and more of this from all countries. By their general goal I mean " the Russian media regulation body, the Roskomnadzor, demanded that Fastmail comply with Russian data laws. This is because Russia has a national goal of controlling the flow of information within their borders. " (from the blo…

That was my reaction as well, though I still don't like it.

That is, I don't like that GDPR-like laws can extend to actually blocking services. But they already do. I'd prefer that they just force "disclosure", like "Yes, I understand my email won't be stored in my home country".

Re: Fastmail accounts blocked in Russia, here's what we know

#50

Post by sigzero »

mytailorisrich wrote: post #39

Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of the Russian government, I think that their general goal is sensible and we'll see more and more of this from all countries. By their general goal I mean " the Russian media regulation body, the Roskomnadzor, demanded that Fastmail comply with Russian data laws. This is because Russia has a national goal of controlling the flow of information within their borders. " (from the blo…

Except there was much MORE to it than just that statement.
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