Russia has significantly tightened control over the internet from the start of 2026. Online services are now required to store all user messages for three years and provide them to security agencies upon request.
This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation.
From January 1, 2026, internet services in Russia are required to store all audio, video, and text messages of users for three years, even after they are deleted, and to hand over this data to security agencies upon request. Previously, the retention period was one year.
Russian authorities formally justify the tighter control as a measure to “protect against fraud.” However, the Center notes that in practice this represents an expansion of surveillance, pressure, and censorship tools.
According to the Center, even the illusion of private communication is disappearing. Personal messages stored for years can be retrieved at any time in searches for “extremism,” “discreditation,” or other alleged offenses.
The Center says these measures are aimed at enforcing self-censorship among citizens. People will think twice before writing anything online, even in private chats. Russia is steadily building a digital state of total surveillance, where fear becomes a tool of governance.