News of the week: Facebook refuses Huawei in applications, Aurora OS instead of Android, mining penalties

In today's issue:

• Facebook has banned the pre-installation of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram apps on Huawei's new smartphones;
• MPs proposed to introduce administrative responsibility for cryptocurrency mining;
• the Russian government offers Huawei to use the domestic Aurora OS;
• The Federation Council may impose fines for the use of foreign satellite networks;
• A "mustachioed" sensor will open robots eyes on the world;
• the fine for storing personal data of Russians abroad can be increased to 18 million rubles.

Facebook broke off relations with Huawei

President Trump, in a recent decree, has banned US companies whose technology is of national interest from collaborating with Chinese partners. The first company from China, which had to deal with the consequences of the decree, was Huawei.

Many companies from the USA, including Google, Intel and Microsoft, broke off relations with her. Now it's the turn of Facebook. The social network said it prohibits Huawei from preinstalling Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram mobile applications to its Android phones.

It is only about new smartphones, owners of devices from Huawei, purchased earlier, can not worry - applications will be updated. Among the applications that are preinstalled on Huawei smartphones are also Twitter and Booking.com. Whether they will remain among those allowed for presetting is unknown.

The State Duma may introduce administrative responsibility for mining

Anatoly Aksakov, the head of the State Duma committee on the financial market, said that the state plans to introduce more stringent measures to combat miners . The fact is that they do not fit into the state economic system, in addition, miners fall out of the jurisdiction of the Russian state.

“I note that actions with cryptocurrency that are not stipulated by Russian law will be considered illegitimate,” Askakov said. - This means that “mining”, organizing the issue, circulation, creating exchange points for these tools will be prohibited. For this, administrative liability will be provided in the form of a fine. We believe that cryptocurrencies created on open blockchains - bitcoins, ethers, etc., are illegitimate tools. ”

On March 12 this year, the State Duma in third reading approved the law “On Amendments to Parts One, Two and Three of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation”, which enshrines such a concept as “digital law”. It comes into force on October 1 of this year, but for its effective work, the law “On Digital Financial Assets” is also required.

The Russian government has proposed that Huawei use the Aurora OS instead of Android

Huawei Executive Director Guo Ping discussed with the Minister of Digital Development and Communications of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Noskov, the possibility of replacing Android in the company's smartphones with the Russian Aurora OS . If the Chinese agree to the proposal of the Russian side, then Rostelecom and the Russian businessman Grigory Berezkin, who own the developer of the Aurora OS, will be able to establish active cooperation with Huawei.

There are two options for cooperation. The first is the installation on various types of devices of the Chinese company OS Aurora. It can be used by the Chinese instead of the Android operating system from Google, whose built-in services will soon become inaccessible to Huawei. The Bell source said China is already testing mobile gadgets with Aurora preinstalled.

The second option is the localization of production of parts of Huawei devices in the Russian Federation. We are talking about the possible start of joint production of both chips and software.

Federation Council proposes to fine for the use of foreign satellite networks

The Federation Council proposes to consider a bill introducing liability for Russian officials, entrepreneurs and organizations for the use of foreign satellite networks . Some sources mention fines for individuals, but in fact there is no mention of this in the text of the amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses.

On November 2, 2018, the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation introduced a draft law “On Amending Article 71 of the Federal Law“ On Communications “”, the amendments of which introduce an explicit ban on the import into the country of “mobile satellite service subscriber terminals and subscriber earth stations that are in motion and operating within fixed-satellite service ”of all telecom operators except those registered in Russia.

A sensor from Australia will help robots navigate difficult conditions

Engineers at the University of Queensland (Australia) introduced a new type of sensor that helps robots navigate in space . Its design includes vibrissa, as in animals that capture the movement of air, measure the pressure of air masses, the direction of their movement. Such a sensor can be used in difficult conditions - for example, smoke and fog.


Vibrissas are called long and coarse hair, which have mechanical sensitivity. They are a specialized sensory organ and perform a tactile function. With their help, cats feel an obstacle even before physical contact with him, so that they can navigate in almost complete darkness.

The State Duma plans to increase the fine for storing personal data of Russians outside Russia to 18 million rubles

State Duma deputies recently introduced a bill to increase the maximum penalty for failure to comply with the requirements for storing Russian data in the Russian Federation .

For citizens, the fine will be from 30 thousand to 50 thousand rubles, for officials - from 200 thousand to 500 thousand, for legal entities - from 2 million to 6 million rubles.

In the event that the violation is committed repeatedly, the amount of fines is significantly increased:

• from 50,000 to 100,000 ₽ for citizens;
• from 500,000 to 1 million rubles for officials;
• from 6 million to 18 million rubles for legal entities.

“The developed draft law is aimed at strengthening measures of administrative responsibility for violations in the field of data processing and dissemination of information. <...> Failure to fulfill the obligation to localize databases with personal data poses a threat to the security of citizens, the functioning of critical information infrastructure, and hinders the effective fight against terrorism and extremism <...>, "the bill’s explanatory note says.