The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No 9) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022/477) (2022 Regulations) enter into force on 29 April 2022.

The 2022 Regulations are made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 to amend the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/855) (2019 Regulations).

New regulation 54A of the 2019 Regulations (inserted by regulation 5 of the 2022 Regulations) introduces requirements that social media services, including video sharing platforms, must take reasonable steps to prevent content being accessible on the service which is generated from a designated person. Internet access services, including fixed and wireless broadband providers, must take reasonable steps to prevent users of the service in the UK from accessing websites provided by a designated person. This will likely take the form of URL blocking. Application stores, including those on smartphones, must take steps to prevent users of the application store in the UK from downloading or otherwise accessing an application provided by a designated person.

Regulation 5 of the 2019 Regulations (amended by regulation 4 of the 2022 Regulations) confers powers on the Secretary of State to designate persons for the purposes of the new regulation 54A to whom these online restrictions apply.

New regulation 77A of the 2019 Regulations (inserted by regulation 7 of the 2022 Regulations) confers on OFCOM the power to request a person to provide information for the purpose of monitoring compliance with, or detecting evasion of, new regulation 54A.

Additionally, failing to comply with the new sanctions is a criminal offence under new regulation 77B of the 2019 Regulations (inserted by regulation 7 of the 2022 Regulations).