Russian Lawmakers Propose Making Local Software Mandatory on Smartphones

Russian lawmakers want to make it a legal requirement for all smartphones, computers and smart TV sets sold in Russia to come pre-installed with certain Russian software in a bid to support domestic software producers, according to a draft bill. From a report: The bill, tabled at the lower house of parliament on Thursday, would allow authorities to draw up a list of mandatory, locally-made software. If passed, it would come into force in July 2020. Russia's cell-phone market is dominated by Apple, Samsung and Huawei products. Those who do not abide by the rule, the proposed law says, would have to pay a fine.

Is that the real reason?

[RockyMountain]

Is the real reason for this rule "a bid to support local software products"? (Protectionism)
Or, is the real reason more nefarious? Perhaps surveillance, spyware, backdoors, etc.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

You think the Russians would do something nefarious like that? But Trump says they're just cool dudes!

Re: Is that the real reason?

[BanHammer]

Its obviously for spying. They already have ceacked down on ISPs and VPNs and now they're directly targeting the hardware. Next you will only be allowed to use party approved software.

Re: Is that the real reason?

[BanHammer]

True like I said,only party approved browsers will be allowed which will install root certificates om your device making https useless

Re:

[BarbaraHudson]

There's already tons of software apps that spy on you. Now if they were to break down the walled gardens that are the App Store and Google Play ...and let you actually do whatever you want with YOUR phone ... I still wouldn't install any social media- it's all spyware for profit.

National security comes into play too

[rsilvergun]

I'm not entirely sure it's a good idea to have your cell phone infrastructure dependent on a foreign power. China, for example, is trying to get it's people off Windows and onto their own custom Linux. I'm sure a lot of that is for surveillance, but it's got to make Russia or China nervous to have their computer systems running on software from US based companies.

Re:

[Ryanrule]

Both

Re:

[CanadianMacFan]

I thought it was just corruption. The politicians got bribes or invested in the software companies that will be paid to have their applications installed or on the approved list.

Re:

[AHuxley]

After PRISM who would not want secure and tested domestic telco products?

Twist on the old saw

[SuperKendall]

"In Soviet Russia, camera takes picture of You!!"

Wait it already does that.

Re: Twist on the old saw

[BanHammer]

"In Soviet Russia phone listens to you".... waaaaiiit

Unusuable phones

[Sarusa]

Wouldn't this just make every Russian phone completely unusable? With every Russian app coming with its own stealth malware, suddenly your phone is a Thunderdome of fraud. The KGB spy module might not even get to do its job.

Re:

[guacamole]

BS FUD post.

No, every russian app does not come with malware.

Nothing suspicious here, move along Comrade

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

Nothing suspicious here, move along Comrade...

Yes, I mean who wouldn't trust the Russian government not to install a tracking and monitoring app? Surely they only have the best interests of their Citizens at heart, right? RIGHT?

apple to back out of Russia?

[Joe_Dragon]

apple to back out of Russia?

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

A bit different situation, ain't it?

Is this just part of a scheme to kill Telegram?

[SuricouRaven]

Bundling has always been a good way to displace a good product with an inferior one.

Why Free and Open are important

[jabberw0k]

Any hardware or software which is not Free (in the GPL, BSD, or similar sense) or at least Open (meaning complete specifications and source code available) should never be trusted in any capacity.

It is utterly amazing that any even slightly technologically savvy person would want to even be in the same room as, much less own and carry around, any sensor-laden Internet-connected computer (even a euphemistically-misnamed "telephone" which is really a computer) comprised of proprietary hardware, firmware, and software.

Every single day it is confirmed that these gadgets and their "apps" treat their owners as victims.

Stop giving these companies your money. Stop hurting yourself.

Re:

[BarbaraHudson]

In a properly functioning economy vendors would want to build trust in their products by not being dishonest double dealers, harvesting customers data for sale. With the I-want-it-first-free economy, it's inevitable that vendors will have to sell their customers out to the highest bidder.

TANSTAAFL. You get what you pay for. If the end user is the one paying the bills, companies are beholden to them. You didn't pay, what did you expect?

Has nothing to do with open source vs closed source, except that a cl

Re:

[lucasnate1]

In my current job I am forced to be available via Slack 24/7. I know many parents whose teachers use WhatsApp to communicate with kids, including homework.

How can we avoid smartphones?

Yandex is much better than Google in Russia

[melted]

Yandex is much better than Google in Russia pretty much across the board. Google just doesn't seem to give a shit about non-core market with a "difficult" language. The first thing many of the savvier Android users do is replace Google crap with Yandex counterparts: launcher, maps, news, search, voice assistant, etc.

Re:

[DigitalisAkujin]

Plus the Russian Facebook Vkontakte (literally means "In contact") is preferred by most Russians.

Re:

[JustNiz]

...and the best thing about Yandex is there's less lag while all your personal information is sent to the government as in Russia, the KGB server has many less hops than the CIA's.

Re:

[melted]

KBG server has infinite hops given that it hasn't been in existence for 24 years now.

Not about support of software makers

[misnohmer]

If they wanted to support local software industry, they could just offer "install this software or pay a fee towards local software industry support fund to keep your phone bloat-free". The fact that they are not considering the latter and that they will not accept any local software, only specific list of software, means they just want to install government software, surveillance, back-door type software.

This is so obvious, are there people in Russia who actually buy that this is to support local software economy?

PS> Bonus, new revenue source for corrupt politicians - how much to get my software on "must buy" list?

Smoke 'em if ya got 'em or go to jail

[AndyKron]

Is this like the town in China that forced people to smoke to support the local cigarette factory?

Stop Putin Spyware on my phone!

[oic0]

Just buy your information from the carrier and manufacturer like good capitalist countries do.