Russia’s RAEC, ROCIT ask government to revise bill on data storage

MOSCOW, Jun 23 (PRIME) -- The Russian Association for Electronic Communications (RAEC) and non-commercial Regional Public Center of Internet Technologies (ROCIT) asked the government on Thursday to adjust amendments obliging operators to store content of users’ calls and correspondence for six months.

“On behalf of the Regional Public Center of Internet Technologies we hope you will study our position, protecting interests of Internet users. If the bill is handed over to the Federation Council without the position being taken into account, we ask you to void the bill,” one of the letters written by the organizations read.

RAEC and ROCIT addressed presidential aide Igor Shchyogolev, Communications and Mass Media Minister Nikolai Nikiforov, Chairwoman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko and head of the information policy committee at the State Duma Leonid Levin.

Deputy Irina Yarovaya earlier introduced amendments to antiterrorist bills to expand it on Internet companies, including an obligation to store correspondence of users for up to six months and decode it upon request of law enforcement entities.

Industry experts said Yarovaya’s idea threatens confidentiality of connection and violates secrecy of private life of the country’s citizens. Disclosure of deciphering keys puts companies into an unequal state with foreign firms and threatens national security.

The State Duma, the parliament’s lower house, will hear the package of bills in second and final, third readings on Friday. In adopted, the law will come in force on July 1, 2018.

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