MOSCOW, June 1 (RAPSI) – The State Duma passed a bill obliging foreign IT companies to open offices in Russia in the first reading on Tuesday, a statement on the website of the lower house of parliament reads.

The bill touches those IT companies whose daily audience in Russia exceeds 500,000 people, according to Chair of the Committee on Informational Policy Alexander Khinshtein.

The initiative envisages that a foreign IT firm must open an office or an accredited legal entity in Russia, register its personal profile on the website of Roskomnadzor communications agency and publish electronic follow-up form for Russian citizens and organizations on its website.

However, the amendments contain measures of compulsion inducing IT giants to comply with Russian legislation. These measures include informing users of breaching of Russian laws by a resource, the resource advertising by off-site advertisers, restriction of payments and funds transfer, search results ban, prohibition of collection and trans-border transfer of personal data, slowing of traffic or website blocking.