Russia's new law fines citizens for accessing extremist content online
Russia has introduced stricter rules against accessing extremist content online. From 1 September 2025, anyone deliberately searching for or viewing banned materials will face fines. The first penalty under this law was already issued in December 2025 to a medical professional in Sverdlovsk Oblast.
The changes come as part of a broader anti-fraud bill, which also includes measures like child SIM cards and stricter identity checks for government services.
The State Duma first approved the second anti-fraud legislative package on 10 February 2025. The bill contains nearly 20 new provisions, including mandatory labelling for international calls and a dedicated cyberfraud reporting system via Gosuslugi. Another key change restricts account recovery on the platform to verified methods only.
The law also amends the existing 'On Combating Extremist Activity' legislation. While it bans general access to extremist materials, it carves out exceptions for scientific, research, legislative, and law enforcement purposes. Despite this significant shift, no public or scientific debate on the changes has been recorded in available sources.
Enforcement began before the official start date. In December 2025, a medical worker from Kamensk-Uralsky became the first person fined under the new rules. The penalty ranged between 3,000 and 5,000 rubles.
The draft law is now being prepared for its second reading in parliament.
The new rules impose fines for accessing extremist content but allow limited exemptions for professional use. The first recorded penalty was applied to a healthcare worker months before the law's formal implementation. Authorities have not yet addressed the lack of public discussion around the changes.
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