Russia will forcibly allow foreign films, games and music

According to Vedomosti, the Russian authorities are working on the procedure for making payments for licensing content owned by copyright holders who have ceased to operate on the Russian market. This will legalize the compulsory licensing of audiovisual, gaming and musical content that the right holders themselves do not want to provide to Russian users.

Thanks to the new norm, cinemas, music services, video services and companies selling games will be able to continue operating in Russia. It will not apply to software licensing, as Russia plans to ensure full import substitution in this area.

In order not to violate the rights of copyright holders, licensors will pay them for using the content. To do this, ruble accounts of foreign companies will be opened in Russia, to which Russian companies will transfer royalties. Rights holders will be able to withdraw money from these accounts with the permission of the government commission for the control of foreign investment. Licensing will be compulsory, that is, the granting of the right to use the content will not depend on the will of the copyright holder, which may be contrary to international law governing the use of intellectual property. Now Russian companies have to go to various tricks to provide Russians with foreign content. For example, some cinemas released new films that were not officially licensed in Russia, replacing their real names with fictitious ones. These films appear in theaters almost immediately after they are posted on torrents with decent picture quality and professional voice acting.