History
2024: Court-ordered blocking due to sale of SIM cards without contract
The Basmanny Court of Moscow in November 2024 satisfied the claim of the prosecutor's office and ordered Roskomnadzor to enter into the register of prohibited resources the site of the meshok.net on which the sale of SIM cards of mobile operators was carried out without presenting a passport and concluding an agreement.
According to RIA Novosti, the decision to block was made after a prosecutor's check, during which it was not possible to establish the owner of the Internet resource. The case file indicates that illegally sold SIM cards could be used to facilitate or commit crimes, including terrorist acts.
Meshok.net is one of the largest Russian online auctions, which began its work in 1999. The platform specializes in selling a wide range of products - from antiques and collectible coins to modern electronics.
The principle of the auction is based on the independent creation by sellers of descriptions of lots and their putting up for auction. Users can participate in classic auctions with a starting price from ₽1, as well as purchase goods at a fixed value. The winner of the auction is the bidder who offered the maximum bid before the auction closes.
The site administration performs the functions of a guarantor when conducting transactions between sellers and buyers. However, the lack of proper control over the products sold led to the emergence of illegal proposals, including the sale of SIM cards without a mandatory user identification procedure.
The court decided to include the domain name of the meshok.net in the unified register of prohibited information in accordance with Article 15.1 of Federal Law No. 149-FZ. This decision is aimed at suppressing the illegal circulation of communications and preventing their possible use for illegal purposes.
The blocking of the resource is carried out within the framework of the general policy of the state to combat anonymous SIM cards that can be used to commit offenses. Russian legislation requires mandatory identification of users of communication services by providing passport data when buying SIM cards.[1]