Struggle anticipated in enforcing Instagram's advertising ban by Anton Gorelkin

In a move to strengthen regulatory enforcement related to advertising, Russian Deputy Anton Gorelkin has announced that the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) is closely monitoring market processes and has already compiled a list of potential violators. This comes in the wake of President Vladimir Putin signing a law on April 7, which prohibits advertising on resources of banned or undesirable organizations, including Instagram and Facebook.

The law applies to sites with restricted access as well, and both the advertiser and the ad distributor will be held responsible for violating the ban. Fines for individuals for such violations will range from 2,000 to 2,500 rubles, while fines for officials will be more severe, ranging from 4,000 to 20,000 rubles. Fines for legal entities will range from 100,000 to 500,000 rubles, with the potential maximum fine being 500,000 rubles.

The FAS is aware of the tricks used to disguise commercial ads as native content and has vowed to take a tough and uncompromising stance against violators. Violations not only pose financial penalties but also reputational risks. People will be interested to learn who is continuing to spend budgets on advertising in banned social networks.

It's important to note that the law does not apply to resources of organizations that are not banned or undesirable. Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, is recognized as extremist and banned in Russia. The crackdown on violators of regulations will be a significant step towards maintaining the integrity of the Russian advertising market.

The amendments come into force on September 1, 2025. The Russian authorities have announced that they will continue to advertise on banned social networks like Instagram and Facebook despite the new Russian law. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the law and the strategies that the authorities will employ to enforce it.

In conclusion, the Russian government's decision to ban advertising on resources of banned or undesirable organizations is a significant step towards maintaining the integrity of the advertising market. The FAS is committed to enforcing this law and has vowed to take a tough stance against violators. The public and businesses alike will be watching closely to see how this law is implemented and enforced in the coming years.