Major developers and publishers no longer sell their software in Russia. The government is now considering whether it could legalize piracy.
- The ongoing Ukraine conflict has compelled many publishers and developers to cease selling their products or services in Russia. Companies like Microsoft and Electronic Arts have strongly restricted their services in Russia.
- The sanctions affect not only games but also many other areas of life. In some cases, these restrictions are so severe, that Russian Twitch streamers are losing their livelihoods.
- However, the Russian government is now considering cleverly circumventing the sanctions. A new law has been introduced for this purpose.
A Russian law could legalize piracy under certain conditions
What kind of law is this? The Russian Ministry of Economic Development has proposed a potential new law titled “Priority Action Plan for Securing the Development of the Russian Economy under External Sanction Pressure.”
Which paragraph is being discussed? Currently, there is much discussion about a specific paragraph in this law. Specifically, it pertains to paragraph 6.7.3 in the proposals. This section sounds as if the Russian government wants to legalize software piracy in light of the sanctions:
Removal of liability for the use of software (SW) that is not licensed in the Russian Federation and belongs to a copyright holder from countries that have supported the sanctions.
(via TorrentFreak [EN] and TorrentFreak [RU])
What does this mean exactly? If the law is adopted in this form, anyone could pirate and use software for which there is no Russian alternative. It is important that the software must come from a country that supports the sanctions. Russian software and software from companies that do not sanction Russia remain protected.
– Ukraine Live Blog (via Zeit)
– War in Ukraine (via nzz)
– Solidarity with Ukraine (via Federal Foreign Office)
Important notice: If you are troubled by dark thoughts regarding the current situation: You are not alone. Please seek help. For example, through the telephone counseling service at 0800/111 0 111 or the online counseling, where you can also use a chat. It is free and available nationwide.
Should Russian companies be supported by the law?
Many companies and customers also rely on widely used operating systems like Microsoft Windows in Russia. Many depend on being able to continue using the software. If millions of people suddenly found themselves without a Windows license, it would pose a significant problem for many users. There is also no real Russian alternative to Windows that Russian users could fall back on.
However, it is questionable whether this law would truly solve the problem. Many products like Windows or other software still require a connection to a server. Therefore, anyone wanting to use software or update Windows will sooner or later need to connect to the servers.
And Microsoft would likely quickly inform users coming with an illegal copy and wanting updates that they have no right to use it.
Meanwhile, developer Bungie has also stopped selling Destiny 2 in Russia. In addition, Bungie is giving away an emblem to all players:
Bungie halts sale of Destiny 2 in Russia – Offers free emblem for everyone
