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Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor has sent a bill to a State Duma committee proposing mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on how long children under 14 can be online. The proposals are intended to restrict access to banned content, but the available report does not specify how the limits or age checks would work or whether lawmakers will advance the bill.
Russia’s federal media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has sent a bill to a committee of the State Duma proposing mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on online time for those under 14. The reported proposals would add new restrictions to children’s use of online platforms, but details of their design and legislative status have not been made public in the available account.
The Russian business daily Vedomosti reported the submission, citing a statement by a Roskomnadzor representative at a meeting of the State Duma’s information policy committee. The regulator proposed that children be identified on social networks, alongside limits on the amount of time children under 14 may spend online.
A Roskomnadzor representative said the proposed measures are intended to restrict children’s access to banned content. The report does not say whether the bill would apply to all online services or only particular platforms, nor does it set out proposed daily or weekly screen-time allowances.
Russia’s Interior Ministry separately said it is concerned that children and teenagers are being drawn into offenses and crimes through social networks, messaging apps, forums and gaming chats. The ministry said common examples include children acting as “droppers” and giving third parties access to their accounts. These concerns were presented by the ministry; the report does not establish that the bill would address those activities directly.
New Rules Could Reshape Children’s Online Access
If enacted, the proposals could require social networks to check users’ ages and could place limits on how long younger children use online services. That would affect not only children and families but also platforms that might have to introduce age checks and follow time restrictions. The report provides no technical plan, so the likely compliance burden and effect on users cannot yet be assessed.
The regulator has tied its proposal to limiting access to banned material, while the Interior Ministry has raised a separate concern about young people being drawn into crime through online services. Those stated rationales help explain the policy debate, but they do not establish that screen-time limits or identity checks would prevent either outcome. The proposal’s practical effect will depend on the bill’s wording, enforcement and eventual passage.
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Age Checks Were Already Under Discussion
The proposal follows earlier discussion inside the Russian government about verifying users’ ages online. In June 2026, the Digital Development Ministry said it was considering age-verification mechanisms for users of online platforms. Minister Maksut Shadayev said the ministry was studying approaches used in other countries; the report does not say whether that work directly informed Roskomnadzor’s bill.
Restrictions on minors’ access to social media are also being debated abroad. According to the report, an Australian law banning social media for children under 16 had been in effect since late 2025, while similar restrictions were under discussion in the United Kingdom and European Union countries, including France and Spain. Those measures differ in scope from Roskomnadzor’s reported proposal, which combines social-network identification with online-time limits for children under 14.
Bill Details and Enforcement Remain Unclear
The report does not provide the bill’s text, a proposed schedule for consideration, or any indication that the State Duma committee has approved it. It is not clear how a child’s identity or age would be verified, what services would be covered, or how screen time would be measured and limited.
It also remains unclear what role parents or guardians might have, what penalties platforms could face for non-compliance, and how the measures would apply to services such as messaging apps, forums or gaming chats. The stated goal of restricting access to banned content is attributable to Roskomnadzor; the report offers no evidence about how effective the proposed measures would be in achieving it.
Watch for the Bill’s Legislative Path
The next reported step is for the State Duma’s information policy committee to consider the draft. No timetable or decision by the committee was specified in the source report. Further information about the bill’s text, covered platforms and enforcement would clarify whether the proposal changes before lawmakers and how it might affect children, families and online services.
Until those details are released, the proposal should not be treated as an enacted restriction. The available reporting confirms a bill was sent to the committee; it does not confirm passage, an implementation date or a final set of rules.
Key Questions
What has Roskomnadzor proposed?
The regulator has sent a bill to a State Duma committee proposing mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on online time for children under 14.
Is the proposal already law?
No. The report says the bill was sent to a parliamentary committee. It does not report that lawmakers have approved it or that the measures are in force.
Why does the regulator say it wants these measures?
A Roskomnadzor representative said the aim is to restrict children’s access to banned content. The report does not establish how effective the proposed restrictions would be.
How would age checks and screen-time limits work?
The available report does not specify how platforms would verify ages, how online time would be counted, or what limits would apply.
What happens next?
The State Duma’s information policy committee is the next reported point of consideration. No timetable or committee decision was provided.
Source: meduza.io
