The State Duma banned banks from using foreign messengers in customer service

According to Interfax, bill No. 141597-8 on amending the Federal Law "On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection" was submitted to the State Duma by deputies Anton Gorelkin and Alexander Khinshtein. The ban on the use of foreign instant messengers by banks and non-bank organizations will come into force on March 1, 2023.

The adopted amendments provide for a ban on the use of information systems and programs owned by foreign legal entities or citizens. The restrictions apply to the means of exchanging electronic messages “exclusively between users of these information systems” (messengers).

“Foreign messengers cannot be used to transfer payment documents, provide information containing personal data of Russians, to transfer data on money transfers for cashless payments. The transfer of information necessary for making payments and or information about accounts and deposits of Russian citizens in banks will also fall under the ban”, - Interfax notes.

Foreign messengers also cannot be used for various forms of cashless payments.

In addition to banks and non-credit financial organizations, the ban applies to companies with more than 50% state participation, participants in the national payment system. Foreign messengers will also be prohibited from being used to transfer information when providing state and municipal services as part of the fulfillment of a state or municipal task.

Roskomnadzor will prepare the list of messengers, after which it will publish their list on its website.