In Russia, Verified Screenshots Are Becoming Legal Weapons
As digital drama increasingly lands in courtrooms, Russians are turning to notaries to lock down the truth.
In 2025, a growing number of Russians are turning to notaries—not for property deeds or wills, but to authenticate screenshots of online chats. According to the Federal Notary Chamber (FNP), over 11,500 such digital documents have already been legally certified this year. And with rising rates of online harassment, cyberbullying, and digital disputes, that number is only expected to climb.
The surge is most visible in urban centers like Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Moscow region, but some of the biggest percentage spikes are coming from more remote areas. Tuva leads with a staggering +137% increase year-over-year, followed by Orenburg (+96%), Smolensk (+73%), Kamchatka (+71%), and Vladimir (+55%).
Why Screenshots Are Headed for the Courtroom
Russian courts don’t ban screenshots submitted from phones or laptops—especially in cases involving extortion, harassment, or cyberstalking. But the legal weight of such evidence is often murky. A poorly formatted image or lack of metadata can easily get tossed out.
That’s where the notary comes in.
“When a document is notarized, its evidentiary power increases dramatically,” say legal experts from the FNP. “Once certified, it becomes extremely difficult to dispute—even if the original messages are later deleted or edited.”
The Rise of Digital Forensics for the Everyday Citizen
Unlike ephemeral chat messages or screenshots floating in the cloud, a notarized document enters the realm of permanent legal record. There’s no statute of limitations for admissibility, and its credibility is protected from digital tampering. That makes it a potent tool not just in criminal or civil cases, but in workplace conflicts, defamation lawsuits, and even divorce proceedings.
As the digital and legal worlds blur, Russia’s approach may signal a broader trend: turning casual digital evidence into courtroom-grade material. In an age where receipts matter more than ever, the notary is becoming the unlikely hero of the internet age.
