A legal expert from the Higher School of Economics notes that Roskomnadzor already has authority to block VPN services. The point is not new, and it has been observed as a recurring practice. As part of the evolving policy, starting March 1, search results for VPNs that enable access to sites blocked in the region will also be restricted.
The attorney explains that collecting user data remains a significant revenue stream for VPN providers. He points out that such data sales to third parties can lead to a flood of spam emails and unsolicited calls for users. Beyond annoying communications, there is a real risk that the gathered information could put individuals at greater risk of fraud. Given these concerns, tightening restrictions on VPN services appears to be a logical step, according to the expert.
Another perspective comes from Efim Kazantsev, a lawyer and educator with the Moscow Digital School. He argues that the public reaction in the media about VPN blocking has been driven by misinterpretation. The draft order published on the legal information portal does not call for the immediate shutdown of every VPN service. In his view, the proposal broadens the set of criteria used to flag pages that provide information about bypassing blocking as prohibited resources.
With the expanded criteria, authorities could target pages that do not assist users in circumventing blocks but still contain content about bypass methods. This includes instructions for configuring proxies and VPNs, or listings of relevant services. The aim is to clarify what constitutes permissible information and what should be restricted, Kazantsev notes.
It is important to recall that Roskomnadzor has indicated plans to issue an order stating that, from March 1, 2024, VPN applications in all stores, including Play Market and App Store, will be blocked if they enable access to blocked resources. This development has been reported by RIA News.