Ban on Using Foreign Messengers for Owners of Russian-Language Websites – Clarification from Ministry of Digital Development
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media (Ministry of Digital Development) has issued clarifications on the enforcement of the ban on using foreign messengers for informing citizens. The agency provided a detailed explanation of how to interpret the law’s provisions for owners of popular Russian-language internet resources.
Who is subject to the ban?
According to the law, the ban on using messengers owned by foreign entities (such as WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) applies to a wide range of organizations, including government bodies, banks, telecommunications operators, as well as owners of large websites and online platforms.
Key criteria for websites:
The restrictions apply to owners of websites, web pages, information systems, or programs that meet the following criteria:
- Are designed for users to create personal pages and disseminate information through them.
- Carry advertising targeted at Russian consumers.
- Have a daily audience of more than 500,000 users from Russia.
What is specifically prohibited?
Ministry of Digital Development clarified that “informing” refers to direct interaction with citizens and legal entities through the targeted sending of electronic messages. This means that owners of resources falling under the criteria are prohibited from using foreign messengers to answer user questions, send notifications, or conduct private dialogues.
What is allowed?
At the same time, the agency explicitly states that maintaining public Telegram channels or similar channels in other messengers is not prohibited. It is permitted to post news and publicly available information there. The main restriction is the absence of direct communication features, meaning responses to comments or reactions via personal messages.
The clarification from Ministry of Digital Development means that the ban does not affect all Russian-language websites with a large audience, but primarily those that are functionally social platforms or platforms with user profiles (e.g., social networks, blogging platforms, forums). For them, direct communication with users via foreign messengers is now prohibited.
