On September 1, a broad package of new laws and regulations came into force in Russia, affecting the digital sphere, advertising, education, banking operations, and everyday life. Among the most debated measures are fines for searching for materials deemed “extremist” and a ban on advertising on Instagram and Facebook, owned by Meta, which Russian authorities classify as an “extremist organization.”
The law on searching for “extremist” materials was signed by Vladimir Putin on July 31. Citizens face fines of 3,000 to 5,000 rubles, including when using a VPN. At the same time, from September 1, 2025, VK’s MAX messenger must be preinstalled on new smartphones and tablets sold in the country, while the inability to install apps through RuStore can now be treated as a product defect, allowing buyers to demand a replacement or refund.
From the autumn, all advertising on Instagram and Facebook is also banned, including posts, stories, reels, and blogger integrations, even if the content was published before that date. Fines reach 2,500 rubles for individuals, 20,000 for officials, and 500,000 for legal entities.
Restrictions on people designated as “foreign agents” have also been expanded: they are barred from educational and outreach activities, from working in education and state corporations, and from holding lectures, seminars, and master classes. If a holder of an educational license is added to the register, that license is terminated.
At the last moment, the Culture Ministry postponed the law banning “drug propaganda” from September 1, 2025 to March 1, 2026. However, music labels and platforms had already begun checking releases for prohibited references. Violations carry fines, and a repeat offense within a year may lead to criminal liability of up to two years in prison.
Other measures that took effect include a ban on transferring SIM cards and account login data, an expanded list of medical conditions that can prevent a person from driving, and a doubling of the state fee for a driver’s license from 2,000 to 4,000 rubles. Banks must now check whether customers withdrawing cash may be acting under fraudsters’ influence and may impose a temporary ATM cash limit of 50,000 rubles per day for 48 hours. Rules for calculating average wages have also changed, arbitrary bonus cuts have been restricted, business activity on garden plots has been banned, maternity benefits for female students have been increased, and the government has been given authority to regulate paid university admissions.