The provided text examines the growing trend of state-level internet control, focusing on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technologies. It explains how AI-powered DPI, particularly Encrypted Traffic Intelligence (ETI), enables governments to monitor and censor internet traffic, even when encrypted, by analyzing traffic patterns rather than content. The document uses Russia's "Sovereign Internet" law as a primary case study, detailing its legal framework and technical implementation through state-mandated equipment on ISP networks, while also comparing it to China's "Great Firewall". Finally, it discusses the ongoing arms race between state censors and circumvention tools like VPNs, and highlights the ethical implications of algorithmic repression and the resulting fragmentation of the global internet.

Research done with the help of artificial intelligence, and presented by two AI-generated hosts.