MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian lawmakers on Tuesday approved legislation imposing fines on people reading and searching online for content that the authorities deem “extremist”, a tightening of censorship that could have sweeping ramifications for digital privacy and the fate of WhatsApp in Russia.
The legislation, passed by parliament’s lower house, the State Duma, has drawn criticism from some pro-government figures, as well as opposition activists. Opponents say the fines it prescribes, of up to 5,000 roubles ($63.82), could open the door to tougher charges and penalties.
The Ministry of Justice’s list of extremist materials stretches to more than 500 pages. Entities banned in Russia for carrying out “extremist activities” include late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Fund, the “international LGBT movement” and U.S. tech giant Meta Platforms.
On Friday, lawmakers who regulate the IT sector said Meta-owned WhatsApp should prepare to leave the Russian market as it was likely to be added to a list of restricted software.
The new legislation targets people who knowingly search for extremist materials online, including through virtual private networks (VPN) that millions of people across Russia use to bypass censorship and access banned content.
“This bill concerns a very narrow group of people, who look for extremist content because they themselves are already one step away from extremism,” Sergei Boyarsky, head of the Duma’s information technology committee, told Duma TV.
Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev said law enforcement would have to prove that users intended to view extremist materials and that merely accessing platforms would not be penalised.
It was not immediately clear how the authorities would determine intent in an online search.
($1 = 78.3500 roubles)
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
