The draft text underlines a growing debate among senators about bringing digital activities under taxation, including income generated through blogging and other online ventures. The document, prepared by the Federation Council Budget and Financial Markets Committee, signals an official intent to explore how tax policy can support economic growth by capturing online earnings. The Federation Council is expected to review the proposal in its upcoming session, signaling a formal step toward clarifying the tax treatment of internet-based income for both individuals and organizations (TASS).
In its core recommendation, the draft resolution invites the government to address whether income earned from online activities should be taxed, and if so, how those revenues should be calculated and reported. The emphasis is on creating a coherent framework that does not overlook digital entrepreneurs who monetize content, ads, or services through online platforms (TASS).
Anatoly Artamonov, who chairs the Federation Council Committee on Budget and Financial Markets, indicated that blogging falls within the scope of consideration. Andrey Epishin, the deputy chairman of the same committee, supported the idea of revising the Tax Code to establish a tax mechanism tailored to online activities. He suggested a scenario in which the collective turnover from a blogger’s various online engagements—such as a page on a social network, advertising revenue, and event-related income—could be aggregated and taxed under a general regime if all activities are interlinked (TASS).
As an alternative, Epishin proposed the possibility of a distinct, special taxation regime for these digital circumstances, highlighting the need for clarity on how such a regime would operate. He added that, at this stage, the specific tax options had not yet been extensively reviewed with the government’s top ministers (TASS).
During discussions, attention turned to the practical aspects of enforcement. Vadim Dengin, a member of the Budget and Financial Markets Committee, stated that he planned to raise questions with the head of the Federal Tax Service about income taxation for bloggers and other online content creators during the Federation Council’s session. The aim is to obtain a clear understanding of how personal and corporate digital earnings should be taxed, assessed, and reported (TASS).
The draft resolution also calls on the Federal Tax Service to identify and pursue individuals who earn money online but evade taxes. This includes bloggers and online educators who monetize their activities through the internet. The underlying objective is to ensure compliance and broaden the tax base by addressing gaps in current rules that may overlook digital income streams (TASS).
Earlier reports noted that the Federal Tax Service has already established a dedicated department responsible for monitoring the incomes of bloggers. This move reflects the government’s intention to bring online revenue, analytics, and related activities into a formal tax framework, aligning digital commerce with existing tax administration practices (TASS).