Russia's State Duma has passed a law making it punishable to search for or watch content deemed extremist, increasing censorship.

New regulations adopted by the State Duma impose fines of up to 5,000 rubles for those who search or view extremist content online. Critics, including some pro-government figures, say the law tightens censorship and could affect privacy, including the use of WhatsApp. The list of banned materials includes organizations such as Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund and Meta platforms. The law targets users actively seeking extremist content, but it is unclear how their intent will be determined.