The Russian Interior Ministry publicly announced its search to buy software that will allow them to spy on social network users, the Znak news website reported Thursday.
The software, Zeus, allows law enforcement to read private messages, collect geolocation data and analyze connections between different users. The tender starts at 1.85 million rubles ($28,000). Seven regions, including the Sverdlovsk region, are already using the software, through which police have identified “latent” members of informal extremist organizations that “allegedly carried out protests,” Znak reported.
An Interior Ministry spokesperson from Sverdlovsk confirmed the request for tender, noting that they need it to “counter terrorism and extremism,” the site reported. He also noted that “law-abiding citizens have no reason to worry about correspondence on social networks, as long as it doesn’t contain anything criminal, of course.” The software will only be used by court order, he said.
President Vladimir Putin’s Internet ombudsman Dmitry Marinichev told Znak that announcing such a tender is “quite normal,” comparing it to “buying a car to patrol the area.” He noted that the monitoring would be carried out in “public places” because people make such information available to the public. He did not comment on Zeus’ ability to read private messages.
Russian law enforcement has long had the ability to see personal information about social network users, Znak noted. The recently passed, controversial anti-terror laws “simply legalized existing practices, and allowed for the usage of this data as evidence in court,” a source told Znak. He noted that usage of Zeus cannot be considered a legitimate investigation, but is simply primary data collection that can serve as the basis for formal investigations, making it essentially illegal information collection by law enforcement officers.
The Yarovaya laws, a package of anti-terrorist legislation authored by ultraconservative Duma deputy Irina Yarovaya, that has drawn criticism and protests across Russia and from human rights groups, was approved last month.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
