MOSCOW, September 23 (RAPSI) — The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) has started to form a register of social networks. It already includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Likee, Youtube, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki.

The body reminded that this February a law on self-control of social networks came into force, according to which Internet sites themselves are obliged to identify and block prohibited information. The innovations in the law will make it possible to achieve the prompt removal of socially dangerous information that requires an immediate response, for example, trash streams and other socially dangerous content. In situations where speed of response is of key importance for the safety of citizens, social networks will be guided by the requirements of the law on self-control, Roskomnadzor said in its statement.

The law also obliges Internet resources to post the rules of social networks, an attendance counter, an electronic form for users' applications identifying illegal information, and also to publish reports on the examination of such requests annually. Social networks should notify users about restrictions on their content, take measures according to the instructions of Roskomnadzor, including canceling the measures they introduced to restrict access to users’ content.

In addition, the law stipulated that Roskomnadzor was responsible for the development and maintenance of a register of social networks aimed at monitoring compliance with the requirements of Russian legislation. For this purpose, a special section has been created on the body's website, which provides general information on the respective law. Owners of Internet resources will be able to visit their personal accounts with Roskomnadzor for further interaction with the service, including such issues as the alleged illegality of the content and the need to remove it.

Currently, the register of social networks includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Likee, Youtube, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki. Roskomnadzor has sent the respective notifications of inclusion in the register to the owners of these Internet resources.