MOSCOW, August 9 (RAPSI) – Russian media watchdog (Roskomnadzor) has processed over 118,000 complaints against distribution of prohibited information online in the first half of 2017, the statement from the watchdog reads on Wednesday.

Roskomnadzor registered over 39,300 complaints on information related to drugs and drug addiction; over 38,700 appeals related to unlawful distribution of online gambling; over 21,100 on child pornography distribution; over 19,000 on methods of suicide or calls for suicide, according to the statement.

Compared to previous period of 2016, there are more complaints overall. Specifically, the number of complaints of suicide calls increased by 285%. The number of online gambling complaints increased by 235%, applications over child pornography were up by 75% and for unlawful distribution of drugs by 17%.

After processing Roskomnadzor sent 51,500 links to experts for them to make decisions on whether to include those in the registry of prohibited information.

The Russian law aimed at protecting children from “information harmful to their health and development,” which became effective in September 2012, stipulates that an automated register of domain names should be kept for purposes of identifying websites that contain prohibited information, in particular, child pornography, ways of committing suicide, and instruction on making drugs.