Russia has passed a new law that prohibits the sale of certain devices unless they come pre-installed with Russian software. The law is expected to take effect in July 2020 and will cover smartphones, computers, and smart TVs. Supporters of the legislation say it is intended to help promote Russian technology while making it easier for Russian consumers to use the device. However, there is also growing concern that Russia is using the law to strengthen surveillance of its population and that this could lead to device manufacturers no longer selling their products in the country. Devices from other countries can still be imported and sold in Russia, but the country's software will need to be installed at the same time as the regular software.
Pre-installed Russian software
The lower house of the Russian parliament recently passed the legislation, but it has yet to be passed by the upper house of parliament and signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin before becoming law. Co-author of the bill, Oleg Nikolayev, told the Interfax news agency that the law would help promote competition in Russia by offering consumers domestic alternatives to Western apps, stating: "When we buy complex electronic devices, we already they have individual, mostly Western, apps already installed. Of course, when a person sees them, they might think there's no such thing." 39; a domestic alternative available. And if it is installed, we will also offer Russian applications to users, who will have the right to choose." Russian manufacturers and distributors have criticized the new law, and the association of trade companies and manufacturers of household appliances and computers (RATEK) said that it would be impossible to install Russian-made software on some devices Pre-installed Russian apps on devices could be beneficial to Russian consumers, but the security implications, as well as the logistics of pre-installing Russian software, are likely to be a heavy burden on device manufacturers. devices.Via BBC