VPN Guild's Statement on Russian ‘Law Against Googling’
Russia’s newly adopted “Law Against Googling” marks a troubling expansion of state censorship, targeting VPN advertising and criminalizing access to certain online content. VPN Guild explains the law’s dangerous implications for internet freedom, privacy, and secure communications—highlighting the need for global advocacy, responsible tech leadership, and stronger protections for digital rights.
ADVOCACYRUSSIAANALYTICSSTATEMENTS
The recent adoption of ‘Law Against Googling’ (No. 755710-8) in Russia represents a troubling escalation in digital censorship, significantly impacting internet freedom, privacy rights, and online security. While not explicitly banning VPN usage outright, the law criminalizes advertising VPN services, imposes substantial fines for refusing cooperation with authorities, and penalizes the intentional search for materials deemed "extremist." This law sets a dangerous precedent by effectively criminalizing the consumption of online content and placing VPN providers under undue pressure to compromise user privacy.
As a nonprofit association of VPN providers committed to privacy, trust, innovation, transparency, and accountability, we firmly oppose measures that undermine secure and private communications. The vague definitions and punitive measures outlined in this legislation risk promoting widespread self-censorship among users and threaten the legitimate operations of VPN providers, especially smaller independent entities.
These legislative changes are not isolated; rather, they represent a coordinated effort to enhance state surveillance capabilities, leveraging existing laws mandating data retention and digital monitoring. The law’s ambiguous phrasing regarding "intentional search" and the historical lack of judicial independence raises serious concerns about arbitrary enforcement and potential abuse.
We strongly advocate for the rights of individuals to secure and private internet access free from undue governmental intrusion. Reliable VPN services employing robust security features such as obfuscation protocols and Kill Switch functionality are essential tools for protecting these fundamental rights. We reaffirm our commitment to supporting the industry in upholding high standards of privacy and accountability, even amidst growing legislative and regulatory challenges.
We urge Russian lawmakers to reconsider the implications of this legislation and call upon international organizations, privacy advocates, and the broader public to stand with us in protecting internet freedom, privacy, and digital rights.
We call upon major technology companies to uphold universal human rights standards by demonstrating greater transparency and accountability in their compliance policies, especially when operating within challenging legislative environments. Big tech should prioritize user rights to maintain public trust and actively communicate how they manage governmental requests intended to undermine privacy and restrict circumvention capabilities.