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https://decrypt.co/11947/moscow-bans-sale-of-gadgets-without-russian-made-software
The potential to integrate mass surveillance into the common Internet infrastructure has analysts worried. A booming blackmarket for foreign smartphones seems likely.
A law requiring that foreign-made consumer-electronic devices must be pre-installed with Russian-made software was passed by Russia's lower house of parliament on Thursday. It covers smartphones, computers and smart televisions, and will go into effect in July, 2020.
The aim of the new legislation is to promote Russian technology, according to its proponents. But some fear that making Russian-made apps mandatory will provide a backdoor for surveillance. Critics also claim that this promotes technologically inferior software, and might cause international manufacturers to pull out of the Russian market.
[...] On Reddit, users expressed concerns about the quality of the Russian alternatives, in comparison to international brands such as Windows and Google.
"I'm sure you meant Gugal, comrade. You no use Gugal, you go to Gulag," quipped one Redditor.
(Score: 2) by corey on Saturday November 23 2019, @09:56PM (3 children)
Having said that, I reckon their stated reason is quite reasonable. They want too reduce reliance on foreign software and boost their own software engineering capability. I can see lots of reasons why they would want to do that. It's much more plausible than what we're all thinking here.
Maybe surveillance is a secondary mission.
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by khallow on Sunday November 24 2019, @01:18AM (2 children)
Reasonable for who? It's not reasonable for the end-user who has to accept a shoddy product or nothing at all because someone cared more about getting a market advantage than in the welfare of their citizens. And Putin is a spook. It's not even remotely a stretch to wonder what oppression this law will lead to.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 24 2019, @01:45AM (1 child)
The funny thing is it wouldn't surprise me if those that pass these anticompetitive laws use the very foreign products that they themselves prohibit.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 24 2019, @12:36PM
They already do. Telegram was supposed to be banned, except they can't effectively enforce it, and everyone in a fucking State Duma use it anyway, lol.