QR codes will be removed from Moscow billboards

Owners of outdoor advertising equipment in Moscow were required to exclude QR codes from banners. This happened after an incident with a statement by supporters of Alexei Navalny (listed as extremists and terrorists) that they placed QR codes on outdoor advertising leading to the “Russia without Putin” website. Market participants believe that the absence of QR codes on billboards will help prevent the increasing incidence of hacker attacks and website spoofing. Lawyers note that the initiative must be accompanied by changes in legislation.

The Moscow Department of Mass Communications and Advertising demanded that companies in the field of outdoor advertising exclude the placement of QR codes on billboards. “Kommersant” has a corresponding letter dated December 7, outdoor advertising operators Russ Group of Companies, Maer, as well as four sources in the advertising market confirmed its authenticity to Kommersant. The document clarifies that the QR code may contain information that violates the Law “On Advertising” and is subject to change. The relevance of the measure is justified by the increase in the number of hacker attacks and cases of “hacking of information systems and websites.”

Violation of the legislation “On Advertising” by individuals or legal entities entails administrative liability, the message clarifies.

The use of QR codes in various information manipulation schemes has been gaining popularity in Russia since 2020. At various times, the technology was used by Crimean financial scammers, sellers of “passes” to pandemic restaurants and theaters, and fake QR codes were even placed on kick-sharing scooters in Moscow. As for outdoor advertising itself, the latest incident was reported by the media on December 7: the team of Alexei Navalny (included in the list of extremists and terrorists) announced that they had placed billboards with New Year’s greetings (neutral) in Russian cities, in particular Moscow and St. Petersburg content), on which were printed QR codes that led to the website of the “Russia without Putin” campaign. The posters were placed on Gallery surfaces (in July the company became part of the operator Russ Group of Companies). Now the posters in Moscow and St. Petersburg have already been removed, noted the Sota Telegram channel. The site to which the QR code led was blocked, Kommersant was convinced.

A Russ representative noted that the operator considers the recommendation of the Moscow authorities “legitimate”, given the “increase in hacker attacks, attempts to hack systems, redirection and falsification of QR codes on already posted layouts.” At the same time, the share of billboards with codes is minimal – up to 2%, the company emphasized. Maer practically does not use QR in its activities, noted the owner of the media holding, Konstantin Mayor: “Even if the customer is persistent, we explain that the conversion will be scanty.” The Department of Media and Advertising declined to comment, noting that the request is related to the department’s current activities, “aimed at strict compliance with current legislation.”

There are no direct prohibitions on the placement of QR codes in the advertising legislation, recalls Dmitry Gorbunov, partner of the law firm Rustam Kurmaev and Partners.

Most likely, administrative liability before the adoption of new amendments will be equated to improper placement, the lawyer believes. Thus, the fine for individuals will be from 2 thousand to 2.5 thousand rubles, for officials and individual entrepreneurs – from 4 thousand to 20 thousand rubles, for legal entities – from 100 thousand to 500 thousand rubles ., clarifies the leading legal consultant of the EDB law firm Anna Sabrukova.

A ban on QR codes will require changes to the Federal Law “On Advertising” or legislation at the regional levels, says Andrey Baiduzhiy, director of the all-Russian outdoor advertising booking service All-billboards. The latest restrictions, the expert notes, already exist in republics with a predominance of Muslim populations (regarding the display of images of the female body) and in Nizhny Novgorod (regarding the operation of electronic advertising media, see “Kommersant” dated December 7).

Yulia Yurasova