Chamber of Commerce of Russia proposed not to punish users of "spyware" devices

For the use of GPS-beacon for cows you can get into the field of view of law enforcement agencies

Today it became known that the Chamber of Commerce of Russia (CCI) made a proposal to change the article of the criminal code, which introduces punishment for illegal traffic of technical means for covert information. This is reported by RIA Novosti.

As far as can be judged, this proposal is a consequence of a question from a farmer from the Kurgan Region, who was asked by Russian President Vladimir Putin at an annual press conference. A farmer asked if it was fair that buying a GPS beacon for a cow that was constantly fighting off the herd led to a criminal case.

Militiamen initiated a case due to the fact that such devices belong to special technical means for secretly receiving information. In June, the FSB published a draft amendment to the Criminal Code, which introduces a definition of technical equipment that separates them from consumer electronics for mass consumers. Currently, the final version of the text of the bill.

“The Chamber proposes to exclude from the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation article 138.1“ Illegal circulation of special technical equipment intended for secretly obtaining information ”. Now, for violation of her requirements, an entrepreneur can receive up to four years in prison, ”said Sergey Katyrin, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to representatives of the chamber, the existence of a punishment for the use of household electronic devices are a threat to the development of the business of manufacturing high-tech electronic devices. In particular, this also applies to those systems that are created by order of state bodies. "For this violation, the Chamber considers it possible to limit the penalties established by the current article 20.23 of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation," the official said.