In the state Duma a bill that proposes to fine for the sum from 50 thousand to 15 million roubles for refusing to remove the Internet information prohibited in Russia. The list of types of such information is extensive. The initiative is supported by the government and will probably become law.
the authors of the bill, the head of the Duma Committee on information policy, information technologies and communication Alexander Khinshtein (United Russia) and his first Deputy, Sergei Boyarsky (“ER”) believe that to Supplement the Code of administrative offences with a new article necessary for a “to eliminate existing legal gap.” The grounds for blocking the Internet in the Russian legislation a lot, but liability for non-execution of requirements about removal of prohibited information, which leads to neglect of these requirements. The explanatory note provides statistics of Roskomnadzor in April 2020 there are about 20 thousand facts of not. Often disregard Russian laws was outside the Russian Federation, Internet resources: YouTube has removed more than 10 thousand pages, Twitter — almost 1.5 thousand, Instagram too, Facebook — more than 360.
If the hosting provider, the site owner or information resource has ignored the requirements of Roskomnadzor, the bill proposes to penalize citizens for 50-100 thousand rubles, and legal entities — on 800 thousand to 4 million rubles. Re (during the year) a similar violation will cost the citizen at 100-200 thousand rubles, and legal entities — in 4-8 million.
or is Prohibited by the court, or by decision of the Prosecutor General or his Deputy may be recognized the different information. Extrajudicially, for example, require you to remove the one that, in the opinion of the authorities, contains appeals to mass riots, extremist activities, unauthorized street actions, fake, etc., etc., the Authors of the bill believe that for any failure to remove a particularly dangerous public information the punishment should be much stricter if we are talking about incitement to extremist activities involving minors as performers in shows of pornographic nature, as well as the ways and methods of development, manufacture or use of drugs, methods and places of cultivation of narcotic plants — fines for citizens rise to the 100-200 thousand rubles, and for legal entities up to 3-8 million. The repetition here will result in exorbitant fines from 200 to 500 thousand, and from 8 to 15 million, respectively.
the New article will not address the cases of restriction of access to information distributed in violation of copyright and related rights.
whether the Russian authorities to seek recovery of such fines with foreign sites registered outside Russia?
Mr. Bojarski��in conversation with “MK” told to do “can and should”. But in any case, the Deputy believes, “being fined for any failure to remove child pornography, for example, foreign resources will be exposed to a serious risk rehearsal, and it will be a serious element of exposure.”
Mr. Khinshtein believes that the main goal is not to penalize, but to “create a preventive mechanism of responsibility for violation of the law” for all. To fines, he said, “MK”, “case can not reach” — precisely because of their significance. A Protocol on violation of a new article of the administrative code, the Deputy said, will be Roskomnadzor, and the decision on punishment will be court.
the Internet Ombudsman Dmitry Marinichev in conversation with “MK” said that, in principle, considers “the economic impact more correct than unilateral blocking”. But how will the law be used is another question, he warns. “Here the principle should be like this: voluntary performance requirements, if not fulfilled, the penalty, and then, if again not fulfilled — lock”, — believes Mr. Marinichev.
What principles will guide Roskomnadzor is still unknown.
