The State Duma in the second reading adopted amendments to the draft law on forwarding activities, which significantly increase fines for Internet companies for refusing to install equipment for law enforcement agencies to track traffic. Fines may increase by 5–10 times.
According to the new requirements, organizers of information dissemination (OID), including social networks, media and forums, are required to store data on the transmission of messages by users for a year, and the content of messages for six months. For this, OIDs must install technical means to ensure access of law enforcement agencies to information.
The changes to the bill include the following fines:
- For individuals: 15–30 thousand rubles (instead of 3–5 thousand rubles);
- For officials: 100–500 thousand rubles (instead of 30–50 thousand rubles);
- For legal entities: 0.001–0.003% of annual revenue, but not less than 1 million rubles (instead of 300–500 thousand rubles).
Penalties are also introduced for repeated violations:
- For individuals: 30–50 thousand rubles;
- For officials: 200–800 thousand rubles;
- For legal entities: 0.01–0.03% of annual revenue, but not less than 10 million rubles.
Most large Russian OIDs comply with these requirements and do not face fines. However, a number of foreign companies refuse to install the necessary equipment.
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