New Law Prohibits Advertising on Platforms Classified as Extremist or Undesirable by Putin

On Monday, President Vladimir Putin enacted a law that prohibits advertising through organizations labeled as “undesirable” or “extremist.” This legislation is expected to discourage businesses from advertising their goods and services on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

The ban on advertising is set to take effect on September 1. Offenders could face penalties of up to 2,500 rubles (around $30) for individuals, 20,000 rubles (approximately $236) for officials, and 500,000 rubles (around $5,900) for companies.

In October 2022, Russia classified the U.S. tech giant Meta as a “terrorist and extremist” entity, following allegations that the company allowed “Russophobia” to flourish. Earlier, Russian authorities had blocked access to Facebook and Instagram, which can now be reached in the country only through a VPN.

Recently, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stated that the new law would be aimed at companies that “openly engage in hostile activities toward our nation and intentionally spread misinformation and values that are foreign to us.”

In March 2024, Putin implemented a similar advertising ban regarding “foreign agents,” making it extremely difficult for independent media outlets labeled as such to generate revenue.