Russia demands major websites to store personal data locally

[Justin Kahn]

Russian parliament has just passed a bill that could change the way its citizens access the internet in a major way. The bill demands that all the data of Russian citizens being stored by various apps and websites must be done within in the country.

If the bill were to become law it would effectively mean that Russian internet users will not be able to use sites and services like Twitter and Facebook unless those companies choose to implement infrastructure inside of Russia. Reports also say that those companies will not be able to send data from within the Russian Federation to the rest of the world without specific government approval. 

The move to keep Russian data local could be a continuation of the country separating itself from Western technology. We recently spotted a report from a Russian newspaper saying that the country will no longer buy American made computers for state-run companies and government facilities. 

National security issues could also be the reason, but some are suggesting it is just another attempt by the Russian government to control its citizens online. Russian internet users are already subject to a much stricter code of conduct than in the US, the government recently began to force bloggers to register their names and email address and abide by a very strict set of limitations based on traffic volume. Just this week, changes made to a Russian anti-extremist law now allows the government to punish those posting what it considers inappropriate material online.

While there is a date of September 2016 on the bill, there are several other stages it will have to pass through before it actually gets set into law.

Image via Shutterstock

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https://www.techspot.com/news/57311-russia-demands-major-websites-to-store-personal-data-locally.html

 

[Guest]

Unless they plan to cut the network lines and block all wireless/satellite telecommunication in and out of Russia, this bill is unimplementable. The worrying part is, they'll probably try and do just that if it all goes ahead.

 

[cmbjive]

Yeah, I wonder which of the major internet companies will do that.

 

[cliffordcooley]

What they need to do is make everyone aware of which servers don't store data locally, and let the people decide if they want to risk it or not. After all how damaging can personal data be if it goes beyond local borders. If you ask me personal data is more damaging in the hands of those locally. So what difference is this supposed to make?

 

[wastedkill]

Russia just made themselves the dark place on the internet no one wants to go too :/

If Russia really is doing this then they best be giving the companies money to make this happen as its gonna seriously gonna cost companies like facebook, google, microsoft etc. a TON just to implement the <If in russia place data on x server in x location> then it would require TONS of cash just to setup shop in Russia.

Think of it this way russia is asking companies to spent roughly $10-20million implementing this feature and then another $20-30 million to setup shop in russia.

Russia is making its own customers AKA russians work extremely hard to have the stuff the rest of the glorious world has... which also means russians will not invent or invest in russia but elsewhere...

 

[Guest]

This is great news. We should see spam reduced by I don't know 100 percent. Oh wait 50 percent is from china. hahahaha. Also credit card scams would reduce too. All the fraudulent charges will be null now. cool America can sleep better. hahahaha.

 

[cliffordcooley]

This is great news. We should see spam reduced by I don't know 100 percent.

You are confused. This will have no effect on the amount of spam leaving their servers. It is personal data not spam, ads, malware, or the likes.

 

[VitalyT]

Russia has modest wants, it's just in the world domination business.

 

[davislane1]

Russia has modest wants, it's just in the world domination business.

Meh. Ordinary occupation for developed nations.

 

[TraceAbsence]

Maybe what Russia is really after is to make it so hard for companies like FB, Microsoft and Google to function in Russia that they would stop doing business with it at all, a great way for Putin to isolate his own people and exercise total power over them.

 

[Guest]

Internet, when it was created, was a great idea to connect people, provide information, communcation. Since then it was changed by certain people into a global money-sucking, spying and mind-control monster. Initially run by scientific institutions, now it is purely commercial and political. It is only natural for countries to protect themselves from each other now that Internet is used for "information wars" as they are called. Why give US a monopoly on brainwashing - everybody wants a share now. So, instead of a global space where John, Jane and millions of people with unpronounceable names and terrible accents can live, share and dream together in harmony, we'll have isolated camps where consumers will buy and learn the latest news from the Big Brother's newspaper.

 

[Guest]

Seams fair ...

if you are storing personal data .. do it localy (in the country)

if you don't like it . .just DON'T store data ... makes sense.

The bad side of this, if they want to access your data its easily done because its under the country's law now.

 

[Archean]

NSA/GCHQ+Snowden gate has ensured that governments around the world are trying to come up their own ideas as a counter measure to these threats. So I guess implementation practicality takes back seat at least for now.

 

[Puiu]

This is a bill that is impossible to implement. even if it passes I don't see how they can enforce it.

 

[wastedkill]

Maybe what Russia is really after is to make it so hard for companies like FB, Microsoft and Google to function in Russia that they would stop doing business with it at all, a great way for Putin to isolate his own people and exercise total power over them.

IKR! Making businesses like facebook or a russian version of facebook shut down due to being far too complicated to build and too costly, Great going russia!

 

[rub900]

I agree with the no spam comment. I think this will help not hurt. Screw the Russian people.