On March 6, lawmakers passed the second reading of a bill that will make it illegal to post “fake news” on the Internet. The final vote tally was 327 deputies in favor, 42 deputies opposed. The State Duma is now expected to pass the third and final reading of the legislation, send it to the Federation Council before President Putin will sign it into law.
The bill will impose fines on offenders across the Internet — formally registered digital mass media outlets and ordinary websites alike — but special procedures written into the legislation target only online news organizations. The new restrictions will not apply to newspapers, television networks, radio stations, or online news aggregators. Individuals who spread “fake news” will also face fines of up to 400,000 rubles (around $6,000 at the current exchange rate).
Russian Duma passes ‘anti-fake news’ lawRead More
