Report: Econ ministry blasts data storage rules for Internet firms

MOSCOW, Aug 7 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Economic Development Ministry has criticized the rules for data storage of clients of Internet companies under the data retention law, in force since July 1, Vedomosti reported on Tuesday on its website.

After consulting with the IT industry, the economic ministry concluded that the rules contradict the existing law, require significant funds to buy equipment, and contain impossible or hard-to-fulfil requirements.

Mobile operators are already preparing for the law, while Internet companies, or organizers of information distribution are waiting for technical requirements to IT systems being agreed on.

Under the law, organizers of information distribution must store users’ text messages, voice information, images, sounds, video or other electronic messages and information about them on the country’s territory for a month and hand them over to the authorized services upon request.

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