Russia’s Legal Streaming Services Face New State-Controlled Restrictions
Already grappling with the economic fallout of the Ukraine war, sanctions, and soaring inflation, Russia’s legal streaming services are now facing another major hurdle: increased state control. A newly proposed law seeks to tie the availability of distribution certificates to adherence to state-defined moral values, affecting both new releases and existing content libraries. Meanwhile, pirate sites—operating outside these regulations—continue unaffected.
Decentralization and the Battle Against Censorship
Decentralized peer-to-peer (P2P) networks facilitate direct communication and interaction among users without relying on central servers. This lack of a central control point makes P2P networks resilient and difficult to dismantle. While often associated with the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted content, decentralized networks are increasingly viewed as an alternative to government censorship.
Although censorship and decentralization rarely intersect directly, heightened state restrictions may drive content distribution towards these alternative platforms.
The Push for Traditional Values
On November 9, 2022, President Vladimir Putin signed Decree No. 809, outlining a strategic initiative to counter perceived sociocultural threats to Russia’s national security. The decree prioritizes the promotion of traditional family values, moral principles, patriotism, and loyalty to the state.
Threats to these values, as defined in the decree, include extremist organizations, news media, communication platforms, and actions by the United States and other “unfriendly foreign states.” Federal agencies responsible for national security, public order, and internal affairs are tasked with enforcing these policies.
Streaming Services Targeted
While Russia’s cinema industry suffered in the first half of 2024, online streaming services experienced a 42% surge in sales compared to the previous year. However, a new bill submitted to the State Duma on December 12, 2024, could threaten this growth. Proposed amendments to the Federal Laws “On Information” and “On State Support for Cinematography” would require streaming platforms to obtain distribution certificates, similar to those mandated for physical cinemas.
No Certificate Without Morality Compliance
State Duma member and actor Dmitry Pevtsov explained the rationale behind the proposed certification on VK, stating, “My colleagues and I submitted a bill proposing that discrediting spiritual and moral values be grounds for refusing a distribution certificate.” The bill specifies that any film containing content that undermines traditional Russian spiritual and moral values will be denied certification.
“The bill was developed to implement Decree 809 of President Vladimir Putin, aimed at preserving and strengthening traditional spiritual and moral values,” Pevtsov added.
Business Concerns: Financial Burdens and Increased Piracy Risk
The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) strongly opposes the bill, warning that it would impose significant financial and operational burdens on legal streaming platforms. RSPP estimates that compliance could cost copyright holders, producers, distributors, and streaming services up to 500 million rubles (US$5.8 million) annually. Additionally, requiring certification for existing content would add further costs of 1.5 billion rubles (US$17.3 million). The Ministry of Culture, already issuing around 3,000 certificates per year, would face an overwhelming surge in workload, potentially increasing certification requests twentyfold.
Alexey Byrdin, an anti-piracy expert with the RSPP, cautions that the legislation could harm Russia’s legal streaming market while inadvertently driving audiences toward piracy. Leading streaming platforms echo these concerns. Kinopoisk labels the bill as extreme and damaging, while Ivi and Okko argue that the restrictions would push users toward less regulated, illicit alternatives.
Ivi highlights that pirate operators, who function anonymously and evade regulation, would be the primary beneficiaries of this law. Okko warns that by imposing stricter limitations on legal services, the bill unintentionally strengthens the competitive advantage of pirate platforms. The Media and Communications Union further warns that such measures could backfire, ultimately undermining the intended goals of the law.
A report by SecurityLab on RSPP’s opposition included a link to an official statement published on RSPP’s website. However, as of February 18, the statement has since been removed.