Russia has passed a law prohibiting the sale of certain devices that are not pre-installed with Russian software.
The law, which will be implemented by Russia starting July 2020 and will cover smartphones, computers and smart televisions, will ban the sale of these electronic devices if they are not pre-installed with Russian software.
According to the proponents of the law, it was created to promote Russian technology and making it more convenient for people in the country to use the gadgets they purchase. However, some have expressed concerns about possible surveillance by the government and fears that companies could pull out of the Russian market because of the law.
The Russian government argued that the legislation does not necessarily mean that devices from other countries cannot be sold with their normal software. However, these gadgets will be required to have Russian "alternatives" installed in them.
The country's lower house of parliament passed the law on Thursday. The government will be the one to create a complete list of the gadgets affected by the legislation as well as decide which Russian-made software needs to be pre-installed.
Oleg Nikolayev, one of the bill's co-authors, explained how this could help Russian users, saying: "When we buy complex electronic devices, they already have individual applications, mostly Western ones, pre-installed on them."
"Naturally, when a person sees them... they might think that there are no domestic alternatives available. And if, alongside pre-installed applications, we will also offer the Russian ones to users, then they will have a right to choose," Nikolayev pointed out.
However, the Association of Trading Companies and Manufacturers of Electrical Household and Computer Equipment (RATEK) argued that installing Russian-made software on some devices would be impossible and that the international companies behind these devices may opt to leave the Russian market as a result of the law.
Additionaly, some people have raised concerns that the Russian-made software could be used to spy on users.
