Recently, Russian media was abuzz with the news that internet was allowed again in Russia after discussions about whitelists, and now there’s a new initiative “for citizens’ comfort.” At SPIEF-2026, the head of the Ministry of Digital Development Maksut Shadaev stated that age identification on the internet is “a matter for the immediate agenda.” Let me break down what this means in practice and what it threatens for the average user.

Getting ready to access the internet by passport?

Age Identification on the Internet

Shadaev’s wording was cautious: the Ministry of Digital Development is “considering” introducing age identification, it will “definitely come before us.” No specific deadlines, no draft legislation, no details about the mechanism. Only a reference point — European experience and Roblox as a private example of a platform that has already implemented age verification.

The internet in Russia in 2026 is gradually accumulating more and more user identification initiatives. Internet by passport as a concept is not about “showing your passport when opening a browser.” It’s about confirming age or identity on specific platforms: social networks, streaming services, gaming platforms. The difference is important.

How Internet by Passport Works — Global Experience

Internet by passport in Russia is proposed by the Ministry of Digital Development to be modeled after European countries. There are three main age verification models:

  • Through a bank. The user confirms their legal age through a bank account: the bank only communicates the fact “over 18” to the platform, without transmitting personal data. Used in Germany and France.
  • Through government services. Authorization through a government portal. The platform receives age or identity confirmation from a government system. In Russia, the infrastructure for this essentially already exists — Gosuslugi (Government Services portal).
  • Through a telecom operator. The operator confirms age based on SIM card data. Actively used in the United Kingdom.

Roblox as an example: the platform introduced mandatory verification for access to 17+ content. Without verification, the user sees only content for all ages. A digital passport in this scheme is not a physical document but a confirmation token from a trusted source.

How Internet by Passport Will Work in Russia

The technical infrastructure for internet by passport in Russia already largely exists. Digital ID in MAX is a working tool already used in the national messenger for user verification. Telecom operators know their subscribers’ ages. Banks do too.

Internet by passport won’t cancel whitelists

What internet ID is and how it relates to this initiative has been covered separately. These are pieces of the same puzzle: Digital ID, identification through operators, verification on platforms — everything is moving in the same direction.

The logical scheme for Russia: a user verifies their age once through Gosuslugi, receives a token, and presents it to platforms. The platform doesn’t see the passport — it only sees “user is of legal age, confirmed by Gosuslugi.” At the architectural level, this can be implemented without building new infrastructure from scratch.

What Will Change If Internet by Passport Is Introduced

The internet in 2026 in Russia already looks noticeably different from what it was three years ago. Internet whitelists are already a reality in several regions. White internet in Russia in the format of “only approved content works” and age identification are different mechanisms, but both reduce anonymity.

The internet has already changed significantly

With the introduction of age verification, the average user will encounter it like this: you visit a platform with 18+ content or a gaming service — the system asks you to confirm your age. You click “Sign in via Gosuslugi,” confirm — and get access. Once per platform. The side effect is obvious: anonymity on the internet in Russia is shrinking. If previously you could register on a service without linking to your real identity, verification through Gosuslugi or a bank eliminates that.

When Will Internet by Passport Be Introduced in Russia

The honest answer: nobody knows, and Shadaev himself didn’t name any dates. “Immediate agenda” in Russian legislative practice can mean next year or the next decade. Between a statement at a forum and an actual law lies a long distance: concept, discussion, draft bill, first reading, second, third, signature, implementing regulations, technical deployment. Russia shutting down the internet in terms of complete anonymity is more a question of not “if” but “when” and “how exactly.” But “immediate agenda” from SPIEF doesn’t automatically turn into law by year’s end.

However, the internet in Russia is already not working as it used to: whitelists in several regions, service blocks, VPN restrictions. Internet by passport is the next logical step in the same direction. As for when exactly — stay tuned for the news.