Russian lawmakers backs bill allowing FSB to shut down the internet

In Russia, lawmakers are now moving to significantly expand the authority of the security services in this area.

A new legislative proposal has raised alarm among legal experts, who warn that its reach may extend far beyond internet access alone.

Bill passed in Duma

Russia’s State Duma has approved, in its first reading, a bill that would sharply increase the powers of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

According to the Kyiv Post, the amendments would allow the FSB to shut down communications nationwide.

The proposal would authorize the agency to temporarily disable mobile internet, fixed-line internet, telephone services and “any other means of communication,” according to the independent outlet Faridaily.

The stated justification for these measures is the need to “protect citizens and the state from security threats.”

Details left undefined

Under the bill, the specific circumstances in which the FSB could order a shutdown are not clearly defined.

Instead, they would be determined later through a presidential decree or a government resolution.

Telecommunications operators would be legally obliged to comply with such orders.

The amendments would also shield companies from financial liability to customers affected by service disruptions.

This lack of detail has become one of the main sources of concern among observers.

Legal concerns raised

Legal experts argue that the scope of the proposal is far broader than it may initially appear.

Lawyer Alexander Karavaev told Faridaily that the changes could potentially extend even to postal services.

Another lawyer, Sergei Afanasiev, warned that the wording of the bill allows for extremely wide interpretation.

Under existing Russian law, “communications services” include both postal and electronic communications.

Electronic communications, he noted, cover the transmission of messages in any form via radio, wire, optical or other electromagnetic systems.

Sources: Kyiv Post, Faridaily, Digi24

This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation