Big Brother Law
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a package of
controversial anti-terror amendments dubbed “Big Brother” measures by critics
that may cost Internet companies billions.
Controversial provisions in the law:
- Tougher sentences for extremism and heightened electronic surveillance of Russian citizens.
- Telecommunications operators are required to store recordings of their customers’ phone calls and text messages for six months.
- Messaging services such as Facebook and Telegram have to provide decryption keys to Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB.
- Russians have to inform authorities about potentially grave crimes or their planning, stiffen penalties for re-posting information deemed extremist on the Internet. R
- Postal employees are required to inspect packages.
- The number of crimes with which children between the ages of 14 and 17 can be charged is also increased.
- Public calls for terrorism or its public justification in the Internet will entail a penalty of up to 1 million rubles ($15,620) or liberty deprivation for a term of 5-7 years.
