Russian authorities are also mulling<\/a> the replacement of WhatsApp with a domestic app called Max.<\/p>\n The proposals come as mobile internet outages blamed<\/a> on Ukrainian drone threats have plagued much of the country.<\/p>\n The Moscow Times takes a closer look at the future of internet and communication freedom in Russia.<\/p>\n Online search censorship<\/p>\n On Tuesday, the State Duma approved<\/a>\u00a0in their third and final reading amendments that introduce fines for the intentional search and access of\u00a0\u201cextremist\u201d materials online, including through VPN services. The proposed changes also penalize advertising VPNs.<\/p>\n Until now, Russian law did not penalize users simply for searching online \u2014 only for creating or distributing prohibited content.\u00a0Once passed in the upper-house Federation Council and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, it would take effect on Sept. 1.<\/p>\n Senator Artyom Sheikin, a co-author of the proposals,\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0the amendments are aimed at internet providers and technical intermediaries rather than ordinary users. Under the new legislation, individuals could be fined up to 5,000 rubles ($63) for searching for \u201cextremist\u201d materials.<\/p>\n The amendments have drawn criticism from pro-Kremlin figures and members of the Duma itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\tnews \t\t\t\tTelegram Begins Legal Process of Opening Office in Russia Deputy State Duma Speaker Vladislav Davankov, an MP from the New People party, said that \u201cthis is the first time in Russia that someone could be fined not for distributing content, but simply for accessing it \u2014 often accidentally.\u201d<\/p>\n Yekaterina Mizulina, head of the Kremlin-aligned Safe Internet League and a vocal supporter of online censorship and denunciations, also voiced concern, saying that the legislation could hinder her organization\u2019s work.<\/p>\n Around 30% of the League\u2019s work involves monitoring extremist content and forwarding it to law enforcement, and this could be considered unlawful under the new rules, Mizulina said<\/a>. She added that even police officers themselves could face legal risks for monitoring similar material.<\/p>\n Messenger restrictions<\/p>\n Russian officials also appear to be eyeing a ban on WhatsApp \u2014 one of the country\u2019s most widely used messengers, with an estimated<\/a> 100 million users. While WhatsApp\u2019s parent company Meta was designated an extremist organization and banned in Russia shortly after the invasion of Ukraine, WhatsApp itself was spared at the time.<\/p>\n WhatsApp \u201cshould prepare to leave the Russian market,\u201d Anton Gorelkin, the first deputy chair of the State Duma\u2019s Information Policy Committee, said<\/a> last week. The messaging platform is \u201cvery likely\u201d to be included on a government list of software from so-called \u201cunfriendly\u201d countries that will be subject to new restrictions, he said.<\/p>\n Putin last week instructed<\/a> the government to draft proposals by Sept. 1 on how to further restrict the use of software,\u00a0including \u201ccommunication services,\u201d\u00a0from countries officially deemed “unfriendly” by Russia \u2014 which includes the U.S.<\/p>\n Two sources close to the presidential administration and a State Duma official told<\/a> the exiled news outlet Meduza that WhatsApp is almost certain to be blocked, with the security services leading the charge to do so.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a 99% chance it will happen,\u201d one Kremlin-linked source told Meduza. \u201cThey\u2019ll tell us to switch to Max [Russia\u2019s messenger] for all interactions with the government or affiliated organizations.\u201d<\/p>\n The new Max messenger, currently in its testing phase, is expected<\/a> to become Russia\u2019s national messaging platform similar in function to China\u2019s WeChat, which has faced<\/a> accusations of surveilling users and sharing data with the government.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\tnews \t\t\t\tFlight Disruptions and Internet Outages Bring Chaos to Russia\u2019s Regions Beyond offering basic messaging, audio and video calls, Max aims to integrate services like signing official documents, making payments and communicating with schools and government agencies.<\/p>\n Russian Telegram channels have accused<\/a> Max of collecting user data including IP addresses and activity logs as well as reserving the right to share that information with third parties and government agencies. <\/p>\n Max\u2019s chats are not end-to-end encrypted, meaning<\/a> its developers can access users\u2019 messages and share them with security services.<\/p>\n Over the past week, around 680 bots posted more than 2,400 comments criticizing WhatsApp and promoting Max as “a secure alternative messaging app\u201d under posts on social network VKontakte mentioning WhatsApp and the potential ban, the exiled news outlet Vyorstka reported<\/a>, citing the data from the Botnadzor (Bot Watch) project.<\/p>\n While the authorities have yet to make a final decision on blocking foreign messaging apps, Vyorstka said<\/a> that WhatsApp and Telegram have experienced<\/a> at least four short-term outages across various regions of Russia since early July. The independent business outlet The Bell said<\/a> these outages were intentional rather than technical malfunctions.<\/p>\n Internet outages\u00a0<\/p>\n At least 40 Russian regions have experienced mobile internet outages in recent weeks as Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian regions have become increasingly frequent, according to<\/a> the independent media outlet Govorit NeMoskva.<\/p>\n While the most widespread disruptions took place during Victory Day in May and Russia Day in June, people also reported internet problems on regular days.<\/p>\n Some experts argue the shutdowns are not just about countering drones, but may also serve as testing tools designed to advance the \u201csovereignization<\/a>\u201d of Russia\u2019s internet.<\/p>\n Dmitry Zair-Bek, head of the human rights group Perviy Otdel, said<\/a> this could explain the mobile internet shutdown in the Sverdlovsk region, which has not come under Ukrainian attack at all.<\/p>\n A Message from The Moscow Times:<\/p>\n Dear readers,<\/p>\n We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”<\/p>\n These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.<\/p>\n We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help<\/a>.<\/p>\n Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.<\/p>\n By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. 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