Russia to fine users for browsing “extremist” content

Russia’s State Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation has advanced a bill that introduces liability for internet users who access “extremist” content on the internet. The bill in question is primarily focused on regulating the activities of freight forwarders, but a set of amendments cover information policy. The draft legislation has already passed its “first reading” — a discussion phase — and could make it through both the second and third readings by the end of summer. If adopted, the new law would take effect on Sept. 1, 2025.

The Russian Ministry of Justice maintains a list of “extremist organizations” that includes the late Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, the “Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia,” and the non-existent “international LGBT movement.” The Net Freedoms Project notes that under the proposed law, any user could face fines simply for entering a prohibited search query or clicking on a link — even by accident. According to the new Article 13.53 of Russia's Code of Administrative Offenses, “searching for knowingly extremist materials and accessing them — including through software or hardware tools that enable access to information resources with restricted access” — will be punishable by a fine ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles ($38-64).

To detect offenses, authorities will monitor data provided by search engines, telecom operators, and even administrators of public Wi-Fi networks in subways, cafes, and hotels. Unless a user has enabled traffic protection, providers can see which websites a user visits and which apps are running on their device. Additional sources of information will include browser history, Google search history, and the contents of devices that have been seized or inspected during detentions.

Russian search engines and social media companies are already legally required to share user queries and other personal data with the state’s security services. To protect themselves, users will likely turn to privacy-focused services such as DuckDuckGo and metaGer, switch to incognito mode while browsing the Web, and disable viewing and subscription history on platforms like YouTube.

Restrictions will also apply to traffic encryption tools, making users even more vulnerable when connecting to public networks.