The State Duma has adopted a law that bans advertising on the platforms owned or operated by foreign agents, a move described by political commentator Andrei Perla as appropriate. Perla argued that one cannot be a “free man” and a Westerner at the same time. He stressed that allegiance to the homeland is a free choice, but those who reject it also lose freedom.
Perla noted that the label of “foreign agent” was affixed because he cared about the opinions of those who directed his work and what they said. This framing underscores the political dynamics behind the advertising ban and how media figures are characterized in the public discourse.
On February 28, during its third and final reading, the State Duma approved a law prohibiting the advertising of information resources affiliated with foreign agents and forbidding advertisements on those resources. The legislation bans not only placing ads on all such information platforms but also promoting these resources. Responsibility for violations rests with both advertisers and those who distribute the advertisements.
The prohibition extends to media contexts as well. Advertising for foreign agents in messages across information and telecommunications networks and in media materials is now barred, reinforcing the broader scope of the restriction.
There was prior public understanding of the reach of these measures, including potential impacts on certain high-profile figures in the media landscape, such as Yuri Dud, who has been publicly identified as associated with foreign agent status in Russia. The new ban is expected to affect how such figures are presented and monetized in advertising channels, shaping the financial and strategic choices of media projects.