The State Duma Committee on Information Policy has recently approved an amendment to expand the powers of Roskomnadzor in the communication network sector. The proposed changes would allow the department to take control of communication networks upon the request of the Prosecutor General or their deputies, with the purpose of eliminating prohibited content.
These amendments are set to be added to the Law “On Communications”. Currently, Roskomnadzor is only authorized to manage networks in emergency situations or when there are threats to the stable functioning of the Internet in Russia.
The Prosecutor General’s Office would have the authority to initiate this request when there is evidence of systematic or large-scale distribution of illegal content on a network. Roskomnadzor would then be required to swiftly take control of the network using technical means to counteract threats or issue mandatory orders to communication operators, network owners, and traffic exchange points.
Furthermore, operators and network owners must be promptly informed about the decision to take control. The details of the process and the time frame for responding to the Prosecutor General’s request will be established by Roskomnadzor in conjunction with the Prosecutor General and the FSB.
In addition to these changes, Internet providers may also be required to provide data to Roskomnadzor for identifying communication and user equipment in Russia. The specifics of how this information will be provided will be determined by Roskomnadzor.