Russian companies want to ban Facebook and Twitter from using Russians' data

The developers of the state program "Digital Economy" proposed to prohibit foreign companies without a Russian legal entity from using the data of Russians, writes RBC. They believe that Russian and foreign companies should be subject to the same requirements for protecting user data. The restrictions may primarily fall on Facebook and Twitter. But experts doubt that this project can be implemented, since it is contrary to the European convention in force in the country.

What's happened. ANO Tsifrovaya ekonomika proposed to deprive foreign companies without a legal entity of access to the data of Russians to the head of Skolkovo, Igor Drozdov (the fund’s competence center is developing a concept for data regulation). Proposals for the concept are published on the foundation's website.

• The developers of the state program believe that foreign companies should not have a more privileged position compared to Russian companies that are required to store the data of Russians in the country. “It is impossible, under equal conditions, to impose more stringent requirements on Russian companies,” said Anna Serebryanikova, president of the Association of Big Data Market Participants and member of the Board of Directors of Megafon. This association is also involved in the discussion of the concept.

Who came up with. Skolkovo and ANO do not disclose the initiator of the proposal, but two informed sources of RBC say that this is the Association of Big Data Market Participants (unites Mail.Ru Group, Megafon, Rostelecom, etc.). The association denies this.

Whom will it affect. First of all, large social networks and instant messengers without a Russian legal entity - Facebook, Twitter and TikTok - will fall under the discussed restrictions, Dmitry Egorov, co-founder of the CallToVisit marketing platform, told RBC. Serebryanikova also spoke about the fact that Facebook promised to open a Russian representative office, but never did. Roskomnadzor has already tried to force Facebook and Twitter to connect to the register of information dissemination organizers. In January of this year, the department brought administrative cases against the companies due to non-compliance with Russian law.

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Market fight. In addition, Facebook data of Russians is necessary for the publication of advertising, this is the main source of income for many social networks and instant messengers. Last year, the income of Internet sites from advertising reached 203 billion rubles, according to the data of the Association of Communication Agencies of Russia. The largest player in the Russian online advertising segment is Yandex with a 63% share. Another 16% belongs to Mail.Ru. Google and Facebook are also afraid of the market, says Alexei Belyaev, vice president of the Russian office of the Internet Advertising Bureau. According to him, it is difficult to estimate their share, since they do not disclose their income in Russia.

Chances. “Only after the concept is approved by the working group, it will be possible to say that it reflects the position of the business community,” an ANO representative told RBC. He did not give an approximate date. But the chief analyst of the Russian Association of Electronic Commerce, Karen Kazaryan, believes that this project is unlikely to be implemented, since the requirements for the creation of Russian legal entities for access to data contradict the provisions of the 108th convention of the Council of Europe. Russia will have to withdraw from the convention in order to approve the new proposals, he explained.