Russia's State Duma bans Internet?

A law requires that foreign Internet companies must store personal data of Russian citizens only in Russia.

The State Duma of Russia adopted the law, according to which foreign Internet companies must store personal data of Russians only in Russia. The bill passed second (main) and third (final) reading.

The bill was proposed by first deputy head of the Duma's information committee Vadim Dengin (LDPR), committee member Alexander Yushchenko (LDPR) and deputy head of the committee of security Andrey Lugovoy (LDPR). The laws “On Personal Data” and “On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection” will be amended, RIA Novosti reports.

Under the law, the operator that collects personal data of Russian citizens, also by means of the Internet, must store them in databases located in Russia. Foreign companies, such as Twitter, Facebook and Booking.com, will have to open their representative offices in Russia to store personal data of Russians, Yushchenko explains.

Dengin says information about Russian users goes to servers in foreign countries, including the US, so foreign states own information, correspondence and photos of Russians.

Roskomnadzor, the official regulatory agency, receives the right, under a court decision, to restrict access to information processed in violation of the Russian legislation on personal data. It is suggested that a register of those violating the rules on personal data be created.

The law comes into force in two years, on September 1, 2016. So, Internet companies have enough time to open data centre in Russia, the initiators of the law think.