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Russia’s communications and media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has sent a bill to a State Duma committee proposing mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on online time for under-14s. The proposals are intended to restrict children’s access to banned content, but details such as the limits, enforcement and legislative timetable have not been reported.
Russia’s federal media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has sent a bill to a State Duma committee proposing mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on how long children under 14 may spend online. The measures are proposals, not rules already in force, and the regulator says they are intended to restrict children’s access to banned content.
The Russian business daily Vedomosti reported the bill’s submission, citing a statement from a Roskomnadzor representative at a meeting of the State Duma’s information policy committee. The reported proposal calls for social networks to identify child users, but the available account does not describe the verification method or the information platforms would need to collect.
The regulator also proposed limiting the amount of time children under 14 are allowed online. No daily or weekly limit was specified in the report, and it did not say whether the proposed cap would apply to social media alone or to other online services as well.
At the committee meeting, a Roskomnadzor representative said the aim was to restrict children’s access to banned content. Separately, Russia’s Internal Affairs Ministry said it was concerned about children and teenagers being drawn into offenses and crimes through social networks, messaging apps, forums and gaming chats. The ministry identified acting as “droppers” and handing third parties access to personal accounts as common examples; these are the ministry’s stated concerns, not evidence in the report that the proposed limits would prevent such crimes.
How the Proposal Could Affect Families
If adopted, the proposals could change how social networks handle accounts belonging to children and how families manage children’s time online. Age identification would require platforms to determine which users are children, while a screen-time limit could place restrictions on access rather than leave that decision entirely to parents or individual services.
The report does not establish how either measure would work in practice. The details matter: the scope of covered services, the reliability of age checks, the handling of personal information and the way any time limit would be enforced could shape the effects on children, parents and platforms. At this stage, the confirmed development is that the regulator has put forward proposals for parliamentary consideration—not that a nationwide restriction has been approved.
The ministry’s concerns span social networks, messaging apps, forums and gaming chats, but the reported Roskomnadzor proposals focus on identifying children on social networks and limiting under-14s’ online time. Whether the bill addresses the wider range of services named by the ministry is not clear.
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Russia’s Earlier Age-Check Discussions
The proposal follows earlier discussion within the Russian government about age verification online. In June 2026, the Digital Development Ministry said it was considering age-verification mechanisms for users of online platforms. Its head, Maksut Shadayev, said the ministry was studying approaches used in other countries. The report does not say whether the new Roskomnadzor bill draws on that work or how the two agencies’ proposals relate.
Restrictions on children’s social media use are also being debated outside Russia. According to the report, an Australian law banning social media for children under 16 had been in effect since late 2025, while similar restrictions were under discussion in the United Kingdom and European Union countries, including France and Spain. Those policies are separate from the Russian proposals: the age thresholds and legislative status vary, and they do not establish what Russia will adopt.
“The ministry is studying how other countries have approached age verification.”
— Maksut Shadayev, head of the Digital Development Ministry, as reported in June
Key Details Still Missing
The report does not specify how much online time children under 14 would be allowed, how that time would be measured, or whether the limit would cover all internet use or selected services. It also does not explain how platforms would verify ages, what penalties might apply for noncompliance, or how personal data gathered during checks would be protected.
It is not clear whether the submitted bill is the final version of the proposals, when the State Duma committee might consider it, or whether lawmakers will amend or approve it. No implementation date has been reported, and the proposal should not be treated as an existing restriction.
The stated aim of limiting access to banned content comes from Roskomnadzor. The report provides no separate evidence that screen-time limits or age identification would achieve that aim. It also does not establish a direct link between the proposed measures and the offenses described by the Internal Affairs Ministry.
Committee Review and Bill Details
The next reported step is consideration by the State Duma’s information policy committee, to which Roskomnadzor sent the bill. The source does not give a date for that review or say whether the committee has scheduled a vote.
Further reporting will be needed to establish the text and scope of the bill, the proposed age-verification process, any time limits, and the route the measure would take through parliament. Until those details are released and lawmakers act, the proposals remain under discussion rather than binding requirements for children, families or platforms.
Key Questions
Has Russia already imposed screen-time limits on children under 14?
No. The reported limits are part of a bill proposed by Roskomnadzor. No enacted rule or start date was reported.
What has Roskomnadzor proposed?
The regulator has proposed mandatory identification of children on social networks and limits on the online time allowed for children under 14.
Why does the regulator say it wants these measures?
A Roskomnadzor representative said the measure is intended to restrict children’s access to banned content. The Internal Affairs Ministry separately raised concerns about children being drawn into offenses through online services.
How would platforms verify children’s ages?
The reported proposal does not say. It gives no verification method or details about what user information platforms might have to collect.
When could the proposal take effect?
No timetable was reported. The bill was sent to a State Duma committee, but the source does not provide a review date, a parliamentary schedule or an implementation date.
Source: meduza.io
