Russian online cinemas may oblige to restrict children’s access to adult content using a pin code. Roskomnadzor (RKN) is taking part in the development of the relevant amendments, Vedomosti sources in departments and companies told. This was confirmed by the representative of the RKN. “It is being worked out with the industry, various options are being considered,” said a representative of the Ministry of Digital Development, responding to a request to discuss technological restrictions on children’s access to adult content in online cinemas.
In recent months, the RKN has been looking into technological restrictions that major online movie theaters are taking to make it harder for children to access 18+ content, a federal official says. According to him, even despite the presence of “children’s accounts” and parental control tools at some cinemas, not all platforms protect children from adult content.
The fact of the discussion of PIN codes for adult content was also confirmed by the representative of the RKN. He stressed that the regulator “took part in the discussion of a bill aimed at protecting children from information that is harmful to their health and development.” The interlocutor refused to specify who was the initiator of the bill. According to him, the project was developed in 2022 “taking into account the analysis of law enforcement practice for the fulfillment by the owners of ABC (audiovisual services) of the requirements of the law for 2021.”