The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media considers the regulation of messengers a necessity

RF Minister of Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov. Photo: Tass

Today the Ministry of Communications gave an official comment on the regulation of the work of instant messengers in Russia. According to the head of the ministry, Nikolai Nikiforov, the ministry considers it necessary to develop principles for regulating the so-called OTT services for the exchange of messages, Interfax reports.

“It is obvious that with the growth of the penetration of the Internet and similar means of communication there is a need for basic government regulation. No need to deny the need for regulation at least at the level of terminology and understanding of how different types of services should relate, ”the minister said. In this case, the official claims that the department does not have the task of blocking messengers.

“There are no tasks for blocking messaging programs. This is a distortion of facts, ”Nikiforov said.
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Regulate the work of instant messengers, according to Nikolai Nikiforov, it is necessary for security reasons. “It is obvious that information technologies are used, among other things, for committing illegal actions. A big discussion is going on now in France after the tragic events - how all this should be controlled to prevent the use of the tool in the hands of terrorists. Obviously, as the Internet grows, states will introduce some form of regulation. Freedom on the Internet does not mean impunity and lawlessness. But today, the exact answer to the question of how Internet communications should be regulated is not in any country in the world, ”the minister said.

Nikiforov also noted that the issue of developing principles for regulating OTT-sevisov will be considered on Thursday in New York. The discussion will be held at the summit on the development of the information society. “Our task is to make Russia a modern, technologically advanced state. The main thing is to ensure that any government regulation contributes to the development of legitimate, respectable means of communication, which will positively influence the country's economy and the quality of life in general, ”said the head of the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media.

On December 9, Vedomosti journalists found themselves in the hands of a copy of the draft law, which proposes to begin regulating the work of instant messengers in Russia. A little later, the presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the restrictions on the operation of such services we are not talking. The head of Roskomnadzor Alexander Zharov also left his comment .