Russia looks to expand penalties for VPN usage as 'risks will grow for users'
Russia’s State Duma is advancing bill No. 755710‑8, aiming to significantly tighten restrictions on VPN use. It criminalizes not only the promotion of VPN services and operation of unregistered VPN infrastructure, but also the use of VPNs to access “extremist” content .
Key Provisions:
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Individuals face fines of 3,000–5,000 rubles (~$34–57) for using VPNs to access extremist or banned content .
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Promoting VPN services carries higher penalties:
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Individuals: 50,000–80,000 rubles (~$570–910)
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Officials: up to 100,000 rubles (~$1,140)
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Firms/NGOs: up to 500,000 rubles (~$5,700) .
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Companies and NGOs could face fines up to 1 million rubles (~$12,800) in some cases .
This is a major shift: under this law, merely searching for banned material—even via VPN—can lead to punishment, a first in Russian legal history . “Foreign VPNs won’t be banned, but risks will grow for users” .
The bill’s vague definition of “extremist content” could encompass legitimate criticism of authorities, expanding state surveillance through ISPs, VPN providers, and telecoms compelled to share user data . Critics warn this will erode digital freedoms and may set a dangerous precedent for broader censorship .
If adopted (likely by September 2025), the law marks a significant escalation in Russia’s efforts to criminalize online dissent and tighten control over citizens’ access to information.
