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Russia’s internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, has sent a bill to a State Duma committee proposing mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on how long under-14s may spend online. The proposal is intended to restrict access to banned content, but the bill’s precise rules, enforcement, and legislative timetable have not been reported.
Russia’s federal media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has sent a bill to a State Duma committee proposing mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on the amount of time children under 14 can spend online, according to Vedomosti, which cited a regulator representative at a committee meeting. The proposals could add age checks and screen-time restrictions to Russia’s rules for online platforms, but the bill’s details and progress through parliament have not been reported.
The regulator’s proposals concern two measures: requiring social networks to identify child users and limiting the online time available to children younger than 14. Roskomnadzor said the aim of the time limits is to restrict children’s access to banned content. The report does not specify how time would be measured, which services would fall under the rules, or whether the proposed identification requirement would apply to all social networks.
The bill was sent to the State Duma’s information policy committee, the lower house’s committee responsible for the area, according to Vedomosti’s account of a regulator representative’s statement at a committee meeting. That establishes a legislative submission, not passage or implementation. No proposed start date, enforcement system, or penalties were included in the reported information.
Separately, Russia’s Internal Affairs Ministry said it is concerned that children and teenagers are being drawn into offenses and crimes through social networks, messaging apps, forums, and gaming chats. The ministry identified acting as “droppers” and giving third parties access to personal accounts as common forms of involvement. Those concerns were cited as part of the wider discussion; the report does not say they are findings from the proposed bill or that the screen-time measure would directly prevent such crimes.
Possible New Rules for Young Users
If adopted, the proposals could change how children access social networks in Russia by requiring platforms to determine which users are under 14 and by limiting their time online. For companies, that could mean new age-check procedures and systems to apply any time restrictions. For families, the effect would depend on details not yet reported, including whether limits would be set by law, by platforms, or through a combination of methods.
The proposal also links children’s online access to two stated concerns: exposure to banned material and involvement in offenses through online services. These are the regulator’s and ministry’s rationales, not evidence in the report that the proposed restrictions would resolve either problem. The practical impact will depend on the bill’s wording, which services it covers, and how the rules are enforced.
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Earlier Debate on Age Checks
The proposal follows an earlier public discussion inside Russia’s government about age verification. In June, the Digital Development Ministry said it was considering mechanisms to verify the ages of people using online platforms. Minister Maksut Shadayev said the ministry was studying approaches used in other countries. The report does not establish whether that work became part of Roskomnadzor’s bill or whether the agencies have agreed on a shared system.
Restrictions on children’s access to social media are also being discussed internationally. The source report says an Australian law banning social media for children under 16 had been in effect since late 2025, while similar restrictions were under discussion in the United Kingdom and European Union countries, including France and Spain. Those approaches are distinct from the Russian proposal described here, which combines identification with a suggested online-time limit for under-14s.
Key Rules Still Unspecified
The reported account does not provide the bill’s full text, so the proposed daily or weekly limits, the services covered, and the method for identifying children remain unknown. It is also unclear whether age verification would rely on identity documents, another form of age estimation, or a method not described in the report.
The proposal has been sent to a parliamentary committee, but no committee decision, vote, or enactment has been reported. The report does not say whether the bill has government backing beyond Roskomnadzor, how platforms would be monitored, or what consequences could follow if a service failed to comply. It is also not clear whether the age-verification work announced by the Digital Development Ministry in June is formally connected to this bill.
Committee Review and Bill Details
The next reported stage is consideration by the State Duma’s information policy committee. Any committee response, revisions, or later parliamentary steps would help clarify whether the proposals advance and what requirements they would impose. Until the bill’s text or an official timetable is made public, the scope, enforcement, and timing of any changes remain unsettled.
Further statements from Roskomnadzor, the Digital Development Ministry, or lawmakers may also clarify how child identification would work in practice and how online-time limits would be applied. No date for a decision or implementation was included in the report.
Key Questions
What has Roskomnadzor proposed?
It has sent a bill to a State Duma committee proposing mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on online time for children under 14.
Is the proposal already law?
No. The reported development is that the bill was sent to the State Duma’s information policy committee. The report does not say it has passed parliament or taken effect.
Why does Roskomnadzor say it wants time limits?
A regulator representative said the measure is intended to restrict children’s access to banned content.
How would platforms verify a child’s age?
The reported information does not specify a verification method. It is also unclear which platforms would be covered or how the proposed limits would be enforced.
What happens next?
The bill is before the State Duma’s information policy committee. No review date, vote, or implementation timetable has been reported.
Source: meduza.io
