Internet Companies Face Sharply Increased Fines for Non-Compliance with Surveillance Requirements

The State Duma has passed amendments in the second reading, significantly increasing fines for internet companies that fail to install SORM (System for Operative-Investigative Measures) equipment. Experts believe these changes will primarily affect small internet resources and technological networks, as most medium and large players are already compliant with these regulations.

Lawmakers plan to increase fines for internet service providers and information disseminators operating without SORM equipment by five to ten times. These amendments, approved by the State Duma in the second reading, will raise fines for individuals from 3,000-5,000 rubles to 15,000-30,000 rubles, and for legal entities from 500,000 rubles to 1 million rubles. This equipment is mandated for compliance with the «Yarovaya Law.»

Experts believe the new fines will primarily affect small internet resources and technological networks, as all large and medium-sized companies have long been compliant. Leonid Konik, a partner at Comnews Research, expresses bewilderment regarding the tightening of measures:

Leonid Konik
General Director, Comnews Group of Companies

Konik considers these actions redundant, as Russia has already tightened control over the issuance and renewal of operator licenses, requiring SORM compliance. He believes that only the most insignificant regional internet providers might have previously avoided SORM installation. However, in his view, the authorities aim to eliminate any possibility of evasion, even for the smallest operators, and have therefore decided to further increase fines for the absence of the required equipment.

Fedor Kravchenko, managing partner of the Media Lawyers Collegium, concurs with this viewpoint:

Fedor Kravchenko
Managing Partner, Media Lawyers Collegium

Kravchenko explains that these requirements primarily apply to telecom operators but can also extend to other network owners, such as corporate networks. He deems the increase in fines impractical for licensed telecom operators because the primary threat for them is license revocation, which effectively means bankruptcy. In such cases, the fine amount is not critical. However, for unlicensed operators and other network owners, fines can be significant. Nevertheless, Kravchenko is confident that almost all network owners comply with SORM installation requirements. The problem, he states, lies in the vagueness of the requirements themselves. Deputies, he suggests, are likely attempting to shift the responsibility onto network owners, pushing them to determine the full list of necessary equipment independently and seek confirmation from Roskomnadzor regarding full compliance, encouraging initiative and over-compliance.

The register of Organizers of Information Dissemination (OIDs) includes platforms where users communicate and leave comments, such as social networks, media outlets, and forums. According to the «Yarovaya Law» (officially, the «Law on Information»), OIDs are obliged to store data on the facts of message transmission by their users for one year, and the content of these messages (texts, photos, and audio recordings) for six months. This data must be provided to law enforcement agencies upon request. According to Roskomnadzor, over 400 such organizations are registered in the registry.