Roskomnadzor Sends 34 Notices Demanding Removal of VPN Advertisements Since March 1

According to Roskomnadzor, since March 1, 2024, the agency has sent 34 notifications to websites demanding the removal of content that advertises VPN services. Six of these sites have already been blocked for failing to remove such content, in accordance with the new law prohibiting the promotion of tools for bypassing internet restrictions.

“Roskomnadzor has begun restricting access to information online that advertises or promotes tools for bypassing blocks on access to illegal content… Since March 1, 2024, Roskomnadzor has sent 34 notifications to website owners demanding the removal of such illegal content. Owners of 28 web pages promptly removed the prohibited materials. For failing to comply with the agency’s requirements and not removing materials on this topic, Roskomnadzor has blocked 6 pages,” the regulator’s statement, as quoted by RIA Novosti, reads.

Roskomnadzor also reminded that failure to remove such information is subject to administrative penalties, with fines ranging from 800,000 to 4,000,000 rubles. “In the case of repeated violations, turnover-based fines are imposed, ranging from 1/20 to 1/10 of the company’s total annual revenue,” the agency added.

Recall that as of March 1, 2024, Russia has enacted a ban on the promotion of methods and tools for bypassing internet blocks, including VPN services. Previously, Roskomnadzor outlined the criteria that will be used to add resources to the relevant registry.

For example, websites containing information about methods and ways to use prohibited resources, as well as advertising relevant software, can now be blocked. Grounds for blocking also include “the presence of information aimed at persuading users of the attractiveness of using such methods,” as well as “the presence of information justifying the merits of using” tools to bypass blocks and “providing a positive assessment or approval of actions to use such methods.”