Roskomnadzor algorithms in 2025: how they see your site and what can lead to blocking
A Timeweb Community overview of automated monitoring and blocking in 2025: registry listings versus operator-level restrictions, why algorithms misfire, and what site owners should do to cut the risk of sanctions and handle regulator notices in time.
Website blocking in Russia: what site owners need to know in 2025
The number of blocked resources grows every year: Roskomnadzor's registry had about 1,000 entries in 2013, but by 2024 there were over 520,000. Reasons range from extremist material and fraud to copyright infringement and illegal trade.
How the system works. Blocking decisions come from several bodies - Roskomnadzor, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Federal Tax Service, Rospotrebnadzor, and courts. There are two kinds of blocks: registry-based (an official listing following an authority's decision) and off-registry (traffic filtering via TSPU equipment). Algorithms run around the clock and react to violations automatically - sometimes even on a keyword match with no regard for context.
The main risk is "permanent blocking." If violations recur, access can be shut down for good: all content, search visibility, and invested work are lost, and the project must be rebuilt from scratch.
How to protect yourself:
- review content regularly for legal compliance
- keep contact details on the site up to date
- choose hosting that forwards Roskomnadzor notices promptly
- respond quickly to requests from supervisory bodies
A "we slipped up" approach no longer works. Legal awareness and continuous monitoring are not optional - they are the baseline for operating any website in Russia.
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