January 15, 2024

They Are Listening to You


They Are Listening to You
Medical office in a polyclinic in Moscow. stroi.mos.ru, Wikimedia Commons

The Moscow Department of Health has installed listening devices in doctors' offices, per Order No. 1241, "On the Replication of the Project for Audio Monitoring of Outpatient Doctor Appointments." According to the order, audio recording devices are mandated to be placed in doctors' offices to assess caregivers' performance and adherence to Ministry regulations.

The directive specifically prohibits actions such as making fun of patients, criticizing management, uttering complex terms, and using phrases and words like "molodoy chelovek" (young man), "khvatit" (enough), or "yasno" (clear).

Maria Gubareva, an obstetrician-gynecologist and deputy head of the All-Russian Trade Union of Healthcare Workers Deystvie (Action), asserts that control over conversations is already underway, and the order merely legitimizes the practice. Gubareva wonders whether patients’ consent to audio recording will be sought or if contacting a government agency implies that the patient automatically agrees that all intimate details, which may not be disclosed openly even to a doctor, will be accessible to third parties. 

The new regulation follows a trend of invasive new rules in Russia, including these examples:

  • According to a recently adopted law, taxi services are required to provide the Federal Security Service (FSB) with access to their databases, sharing with the agency information on all their passengers.
  • A leak from Russian tech giant Yandex revealed that the Alice (don't call her Alexa) smart speaker can activate its microphone for several seconds, even when the user does not say its name.
  • VKontakte, the largest social network in Russia, has collaborated closely with law enforcement agencies for many years, sharing sensitive information about its users.
  • Law enforcement agencies have successfully apprehended individuals evading mobilization through the use of cameras and a facial recognition system.

Governmental agencies are not the only entities gaining access to Russians' data. In 2022, the number of leaked records containing personal data on Russians was 4.5 times higher than the country’s population, totaling 667 million. The frequency of data breaches continues to escalate, with 705 million records leaked into the public domain in just the first half of 2023. 

You Might Also Like

The Women with the White Scarves
  • January 08, 2024

The Women with the White Scarves

Family members of drafted soldiers picketed solo in Moscow demanding the return of their loved ones from the war in Ukraine.
Student Sentenced for Spying
  • January 03, 2024

Student Sentenced for Spying

For the first time, Russia has sentenced a student for spying. The 18-year-old was a high-achieving student.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955