Russian lawmakers on Wednesday passed legislation banning the use of foreign email accounts when registering on websites, drawing criticism from the country’s IT industry.
If signed into law, online users in Russia will be required to create accounts on websites using a Russian telephone number, the government e-portal Gosuslugi, biometric data or email addresses ending in the .ru domain.
The bill’s co-author, State Duma deputy Anton Gorelkin, said people with existing accounts would not be required to re-register with the Russia-based “identifiers.”
A vote by the upper-house Federation Council — which convenes for its last session until this fall on Friday — and President Vladimir Putin’s signature are required for the bill to become law.
Millions of Russian users risk losing access to Russian websites if the changes take effect, Forbes Russia reported, citing an unnamed source in the country’s IT industry.
Banks and other financial organizations also risk losing clients’ trust over added complications to online authorization processes, the publication wrote, citing a petition by Viktor Dostov, chairman of the Russian Electronic Money and Remittance Association.
But State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein, who chairs the assembly’s Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications, maintained that the new rules would protect users’ personal data by preventing cybercriminals from using foreign email domains to “breach” Russian websites.
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.
