Russia: Signed Federal Law No. 482-FZ including restriction of content blocking due to free speech

On 20 December 2020, the President of the Russian Federation signed into law the Amendment to the Federal Law “On Measures to Influence Persons Involved in Violations of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, Rights and Freedoms of Citizens of the Russian Federation”, Federal Law No. 482-FZ. The amendment prohibits online platforms, defined as owners of internet-based information resources, from restricting the dissemination of content classified as “socially significant information” uploaded by Russian users or legal entities based on “nationality, language, origin”, “attitude to religion” or “political or economic sanctions” introduced against Russia. Furthermore, the amendment gives the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, Roskomnadzor, the power to restrict or block access to the internet-based information resource if that entity was found by the Prosecutor General violating the user’s right to freedom of mass information.