The Eighth International Scientific and Practical Conference «Bachilov Readings»
The Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences held The Eighth International Scientific and Practical Conference «Bachilov Readings». The event focused on pressing issues of digital transformation, information security, and the protection of sovereignty amid global technological changes. Senior Research Fellow of the International Laboratory of Digital Transformation in Public Administration at the HSE University Evgeny Diskin delivered a report titled «Current Challenges for Russia’s Information Sovereignty».
Evgeny Diskin emphasized that the sovereignty of the Russian Federation, as defined by the Constitution, extends not only to physical territory but also to the digital space. This is enshrined in legislation, such as Federal Law No. 149-FZ of the Russian Federation «On Information, Information Technologies, and Information Protection». However, the effective implementation of information sovereignty faces significant challenges. According to the speaker, the key criterion for sovereignty is not only the adoption of relevant legislation but also its practical enforcement. In this regard, the Russian Federation faces several challenges, among which Evgeny Diskin highlighted the following.
A popular Chinese neural network, DeepSeek, which has taken leading positions in Apple and Google app stores, ignores certain requirements of Russian legislation. Specifically, it does not offer Russian users the option to register using domestic email services and often provides information that partially contradicts Russia’s official position, including on issues related to Russia’s sovereignty. Unfortunately, this example demonstrates that the national regulator lacks the necessary tools to engage with IT companies from BRICS countries, despite the absence of any de facto obstacles to such communication.
Another example is the situation involving the imposition of substantial fines on Google Corporation due to the blocking of YouTube accounts of several Russian TV channels. Russian court ordered Google to restore access, but the corporation failed to comply, resulting in an unprecedentedly large penalty (up to ₽1.8 duodecillion). This case has become something of a legal oddity record, yet no solution to the situation is currently in sight. These cases underscore that the mechanisms for ensuring information sovereignty require revision and strengthening.