MOSCOW, May 24 (RAPSI) – A group of lawmakers submitted a bill regulating the work of messaging services and banning anonymous use of online messengers to the State Duma, according to the lower house’s database.

Amendments are proposed to the Federal Law “On Information, Information Technology and Information Protection”.

In particular, the bill obliges organizers of instant messaging to maintain message transmission only of Internet users identified in accordance with a procedure established by Russia’s government and prohibits providers from working with unidentified users.

Moreover, the draft law proposes to identify users with the aid of their cell phone numbers basing on the agreement for identification concluded between organizers of instant messaging and communications providers.

Failure to abide by the regulations would result in fines of up to 5,000 rubles (about $89) for individuals, up to 50,000 rubles ($886) for officials and up to 1 million rubles ($17,700) for companies. Messengers would also face blocking in Russia for failure to comply with requirements to restrict anonymous messaging.