Deputies introduced a bundle of legislative proposals to the State Duma aimed at tightening penalties for illegal garbage flows and related offenses. The full texts of these bills have been published in the State Duma’s electronic database for public access and review.
The proposed changes would codify into the Criminal Code several actions committed with deliberate intent in public demonstrations on social networks. These include a range of violations that harm health, cause physical harm through beatings or torture, threaten life or severe health damage, and offenses involving abduction, unlawful confinement, or forced labor. The intent behind these reforms is to make clear that crowd-sourced or widely shared actions may constitute criminal behavior when they are shown to a broad audience online.
Officials emphasize that when such acts are presented publicly, they can elevate criminal conduct to a level that appears feasible and acceptable to a much larger audience. The likelihood of imitation rises, particularly among viewers who may be psychologically vulnerable or susceptible to social influence, which, in turn, could increase real-world harms and complicate enforcement efforts.
Earlier, there were provisions that assigned penalties of up to two years for minors involved in so-called garbage streams, placing a specific emphasis on protecting younger participants from exposure to or involvement in dangerous online content. This reflects a broader policy objective to safeguard young people from online activities that could lead to physical or emotional harm.
In separate remarks, the former head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin, suggested holding the sponsors and organizers of such streams responsible. His statements underscored a push to impose clearer accountability on individuals and groups who initiate or finance online content that could incite harmful behavior, especially when that content targets vulnerable audiences or exploits systemic gaps in online safety frameworks. The discussion signals a tightening of legal norms around online conduct, with an emphasis on preventing situations where harmful online actions translate into real-world consequences.
These developments come at a moment when lawmakers are examining the balance between free expression and public safety in the digital sphere. Proponents argue that stronger legal clarity is necessary to deter dangerous trends and to provide prosecutors with robust tools to respond to online activities that encourage violence or coercion. Critics, meanwhile, urge careful consideration of due process and freedom of speech, reminding policymakers that criminal liability should be narrowly tailored to clearly defined acts with demonstrable harm. The debate continues as the State Duma weighs reforms that could shape the legal landscape for online behavior, celebrity-endorsed challenges, and the spread of harmful content across social networks. Attribution: legislative press materials and public statements from official channels.