Russian Federation

[RU] Ban on advertising revenues for “foreign agents”

IRIS 2024-4:1/16

Andrei Richter

Comenius University (Bratislava)

Amendments to the federal statutes on “foreign agents”, on advertising and on the mass media were adopted by the State Duma on 28 February and signed into law on 11 March 2024. They introduce a complete ban on advertising in the “information resources” of legal and physical entities listed by the Russian authorities as “foreign agents” (see IRIS 2022-10:1/7). The ban includes advertising in the media outlets published by these “foreign agents”, their social media channels, blogs and individual web pages. The administrative fine for Russian businesses for the violation may amount to RUB 500 000 (or about EUR 5 000). A second violation within 12 months will result in the forced closure of the media outlet, as well as criminal liability for the offenders including deprivation of liberty of either the “foreign agent” or the advertiser, or both if they happen to be in the Russian jurisdiction. There are about 500 active “foreign agents” on the list.

According to an evaluation of the advertising market, the new restriction would decrease advertising revenues of “foreign agents” by some 80%.

The amendments entered into force on 22 March 2024.


References

  • О внесении изменений в статью 11 Федерального закона "О контроле за деятельностью лиц, находящихся под иностранным влиянием" и отдельные законодательные акты Российской Федерации), officially published by Rossiyskaya gazeta daily on 13 March 2024
  • https://rg.ru/documents/2024/03/13/document-zapret-reklamy-u-inoagentov.html
  • Federal Statute of 11 March 2024, No. 42-FZ “On amending Article 11 of the Federal Statute ‘On control over the activity of persons under foreign influence’ and individual legal acts of the Russian Federation

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IRIS 2022-10:1/7 [RU] “Foreign agent media” list expanded

This article has been published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory.