MOSCOW, January 15 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is set to severely limit online payment systems and oblige websites including the likes of Google and Facebook to store information on users and share it with security services
The measures are part of a raft of new anti-terrorism bills set to be filed in the State Duma on Wednesday by deputies representing all the main parties in the lower house of parliament.
Any website that allows users to post comments will be required to inform the authorities about it and store logs for six months, according to lawmakers behind the proposal.
The logs, which will also have to be kept by Internet service providers, will have to be accessible to security services, Andrei Lugovoi of the nationalist LDPR party said.
The rules will also apply to websites that are based abroad but operate in Russia, Gazeta.ru news website reported.
Another bill will severely limit the use of payment systems that allow anonymous usage, such as the popular Yandex Money, Russia’s answer to PayPal.
Transferring money abroad using such systems will no longer be possible, while domestic usage will be capped at 15,000 rubles ($450) a month, down from the current 40,000 rubles ($1,200).
The bill package also proposes more power to the Federal Security Service (FSB) and stricter punishments for involvement in terrorism.
No review timeframe was immediately available for the package, which was drafted in cooperation with the FSB and other security agencies.
