Russia has introduced data retention laws requiring telecoms companies to store details of customers ' text messages , phone calls and other activity for six months , for use by Russian intelligence agencies . The law is part of the " Patriot Law " , which President Vladimir Putin signed in 2016 , despite warnings from Edward Snowden that they rules would " take money and liberty from every Russian " . The "money" part of that warning refers to the cost to communications providers of storing all this data. The law would cost mobile operator Megafon between $ 557 m and $ 750 m to implement over the next five years , it said , while rivals MTS and VimpelCom forecast costs of $ 955 m and $ 716 m respectively .
Russia has introduced data retention laws requiring telecoms companies to store details of customers ' text messages , phone calls and other activity for six months , for use by Russian intelligence agencies . The law is part of the " Patriot Law " , which President Vladimir Putin signed in 2016 , despite warnings from Edward Snowden that they rules would " take money and liberty from every Russian " . The law would cost mobile operator Megafon between $ 557 m and $ 750 m to implement over the next five years , it said , while rivals MTS and VimpelCom forecast costs of $ 955 m and $ 716 m respectively .