Digital ID instead of anonymity: Russia seeks to control every move online
Photo: Russia plans to ban online anonymity (Getty Images)
In Russia, proposals have been made to introduce mandatory passport identification for users of social networks and messaging apps, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
The initiative would effectively require every online action to be "signed" by an identifiable individual, making it easy for the state to track users. The Center warned that the move could usher in a new phase of digital control under the slogan of a "legal and safe internet," while forcing platforms to store large volumes of passport data that could eventually be leaked.
According to the Center, limiting anonymity would reduce access to foreign platforms and alternative sources of information and give the authorities new grounds for repression, effectively building a digital version of a police state.
Messenger blockings in Russia
The report recalled that in December 2025 Russia’s media watchdog blocked WhatsApp, Roblox, FaceTime, and Snapchat, citing "security threats," while also restricting VPN protocols that allowed access to uncensored information.
Analysts said that under the pretext of fighting terrorism, Russia is increasingly isolating its information space. Observers noted that online controls have intensified since 2022, when the authorities began mass restrictions on social media, regularly citing national security concerns.
