The State Duma decided to ban smartphones without Russian applications. Why does the authorities need this?

Deputies talk about the convenience of older people, sources in the Duma - about the "sovereign Internet"

On November 5, the State Duma adopted in the first reading a bill, according to which foreign manufacturers of electronics from July 1, 2020 will have to install Russian software on smartphones, computers and Smart-TV. The list of programs, according to the document, should be determined by the government. Companies that will not comply with the law, if adopted, face a fine of up to 200 thousand rubles. The authors of the document are deputies from all parliamentary factions; They argue that the prescription of applications is needed for the convenience of users. At the same time, the sources of Medusa say that the initiative to the State Duma came from the Kremlin and became part of the strategy of the “sovereign Internet”.

The bill on the pre -installation of applications was introduced by representatives of all parliamentary factions. One of its goals is the protection of Russian companies

As stated in the explanatory note , the law will provide Russians with the opportunity to use equipment without the need to install additional mobile applications and other programs. The authors of the bill also believe that the prescription of domestic programs will help “protect Russian Internet companies”.

Under the bill are signatures of representatives of all parliamentary factions. These are three United Russia (Vladimir Gutenev, Sergey Chindyaskin and Alexei Kanaev), LDPR representative Sergey Zhigarev, reference Oleg Nikolaev and communist Alexander Yushchenko. The document was made to the State Duma on July 18. Prior to this, Zhigarev made a similar initiative, but offered large fines for the commander companies-up to 1 million rubles. “Vedomosti” reported that the Ministry of Communications has developed an alternative bill, which was never submitted to the State Duma. Back in April, the FAS proposed Russian software on smartphones.

The author of the bill also said that it will help older people. What applications will need to be installed, he does not know

Alexander Yushchenko told Medusa that the version of the bill adopted in the first reading was the result of discussing the document introduced by Sergey Zhigarev on the profile committee.

“Technologies are developing, and the legislative framework should follow them,” said Yushchenko. - The pre -installation of domestic software is in demand by citizens. Young people, of course, themselves can install on their smartphone or computer what they want, but older people are faced with problems, they need help. ”

Yushchenko called “State Services” as possible applications that can be predefined by law, but later made a reservation that this was only his assumption. According to the deputy, all states make certain requirements for manufacturers of equipment.

Sources in the State Duma say that the bill was lowered from the Kremlin and aimed at ensuring the "sovereign Internet"

Two sources close to the leadership of the State Duma, however, said that the bill was put into parliament from the presidential administration - such documents were almost always signed by representatives of all factions. One of the interlocutors of Medusa noted that the deputies, who became the authors of the initiative, often signed under the necessary Kremlin and the government.

“The goal is clear - everything is spinning around the concept of“ sovereign Internet, ”says one of the sources in parliament. - The president is not very worried about the issues of the internal agenda, but the “sovereignty of the Internet” just occupies it. Officials of AP, State Duma, Government bring him their proposals. The bill on the pre -installation of programs is from the same series. ”

Among the possible applications that the manufacturers of the equipment will have to be preinstalled, the interlocutor also called the “State Services”, as well as the applications of Yandex. “This is a very grassy and harmless version of the law, even populist. Manufacturers do not need to do anything, just pre -pre -application. But then after this concession it will be possible to take more serious steps, ”the source indicates, without specifying, however, what are the steps.

Alexander Yushchenko and sources in the State Duma argue that there is no question of installing any applications helping users or to transmit them to security officials. “They are still following us, and this is not about our special services,” says MP Yushchenko.

The bill is called the "law against Apple." The company has already said that if its adoption, the Russian market may leave

The main opponent of the third -party pre -installation on its equipment is Apple. “The requirement to add third -party applications to Jailbreak equal to the Ecosystem of Apple (officially not supported by receiving access to the file system) and poses security threats, and the company cannot go to such risks,” Kommersant’s sourcesaid in April 2019 in April 2019. The corporationstated that they do not consider the Russian market strategically important and therefore, if the law is adopted, they can leave it.

Alexander Yushchenko, in a conversation with a jellyfish, complained that the conversation about the bill is mainly in the context of the possible departure of Apple from Russia. "This will not happen, which company will voluntarily give the market to the competitor?" He is convinced. The same confidence was expressed by a source close to the leadership of the State Duma.

Until November 18, amendments may be made to the bill that deputies can adopt or reject when considering the document in the second reading. Alexander Yushchenko told Medusa that no proposals from companies whose work concerns the initiative received the State Duma.

Andrey Pertsev