FSB to compel online companies to store info about user geolocation, payment instruments

MOSCOW. Oct 3 (Interfax) - The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) plans to expand the list of data the owners of websites and online services listed as organizers in disseminating information must store and provide to law enforcement authorities to include users' geolocation and payment instruments.

A corresponding draft resolution of the Russian government was published on the website of draft laws and regulations on Tuesday.

The FSB is proposing to amend the rules on data storage for those who organize the dissemination of online information, by adding information about "electronic monitoring of geolocation and payment instruments" to the list.

"For now, the list of data that must be stored by the organizers of the dissemination of online information does not directly include information about users' geolocation and payment instruments," materials to the draft said.

"The absence of a legal duty to ensure the storage and provision of such information to federal security bodies produces an ambiguous law enforcement practice, reduces the effectiveness of operational investigative activities, and negatively affects the Russian Federation's security," the FSB said.

The resolution was drafted on orders from the Russian government.

An organizer of the dissemination of information is an entity that ensures the functioning of information systems and/or software for computers intended and/or used for the reception, transmission, delivery and/or processing of electronic messages from Internet users. The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) maintains a register of such entities.

Since July 1, 2018, organizers of the dissemination of information have been compelled to store user information such as messages and audio and video messages for six months, and to provide it at the request of the security services. Over 200 organizers of the dissemination of information are currently included in the register.