There are 18,500 official advertising structures installed in Moscow, owned by 359 companies. Billboards, stands, screens introduce us with goods, institutions, initiatives. But at the same time, annoying offers penetrate our courtyards, end up under the glass of our car, and promote illegal goods to our children. How can you fight illegal advertising?
Cases of illegally installed advertising banners, light boards, screens, complex structures on roofs and facades of houses are not uncommon. Some of these structures are not only installed on illegal grounds, but also interfere with the movement of vehicles and pedestrians, distort architectural structures, narrow sidewalks, and limit the view for drivers.
Often outdoor advertising objects appear unexpectedly in places where there is no place for them at all. For example, residents of the lower floors of a residential building complain that a huge LED display has been installed in the house opposite. In the dark, constantly changing advertising blinks, interfering with normal rest.
Why complain about illegal advertising in the city?
Some structures are installed at public transport stops. In order to attract the attention of as many residents of the city as possible, the shields are attached to the supports located near the bus stops, blocking the view and obstructing the visibility of approaching buses and minibuses.
It is also illegal to install advertising signs and banners on balconies or in window openings without the consent of residents, owners of these buildings or apartments.
Such actions of advertisers are unacceptable and are subject to penalties in the form of fines and warnings. If you do not know where to complain about illegally installed advertising, you can contact the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in Moscow. In abbreviated form, this organization is called the Moscow OFAS Russia. In disputable cases of placement, the organization adheres to the Federal Law "On Advertising" No. 38-FZ dated March 13, 2006.
Rospotrebnadzor also has functions to supervise the legality of the installation of advertising structures, where both individuals and legal entities can apply. This organization monitors illegal structures advertising prohibited goods. For example, it is prohibited by law to advertise alcoholic beverages, so if you witness the installation of such shields, you can safely contact the Rospotrebnadzor department in your city.
How to prevent illegal posting of ads
Many have had to deal with ugly bollards or bus stops that look like a porcupine because of the many small ads, the content of which no one will ever see. Unlike illegal advertising structures, there is the possibility of direct interaction with the object. You can disrupt the ad or try to interfere with the advertising distributor by calling the police and fines. However, this is not the job of the city's residents.
In the case of sticking up notices in entrances, on the walls of houses, in elevators, on entrance doors, poles and trees, you can contact the district police officer, who, in turn, will contact the appropriate authorities. You can write a complaint to the building management company, the district administration, or the antimonopoly committee. This will help not only you but all tenants to avoid hassle, to achieve results with minimal costs.
What are the online services for dealing with illegal advertising?
Volunteer organizations are also working to combat illegal advertisements. They clean the walls of houses, dismantle shields that are in places not established by law. Activists put forward initiative proposals to tighten the regulatory framework in the field of advertising. They go out on weekly raids, the purpose of which is to identify the installation of illegal structures and to clear such advertisements from city streets.
One such organization is the Anti-Corruption Foundation.
On the site fbk.info, anyone can leave an online application, which will indicate the place where the illegally installed advertisement was noticed. You can report companies that constantly post ads without having any legal rights to do so.
Where can I complain about advertisements for prohibited goods?
Sometimes you have to witness such advertising messages that advertise drugs. In this case, you must contact the Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN), the police or housing and communal services.
Asphalt inscriptions are considered the responsibility of the city authorities. But public organizations are directly involved in solving this problem. They organize volunteer detachments that take to the city streets, paint over advertisements, overwrite phone numbers. It is best to send complaints to several organizations at once, for example, the Federal Drug Control Service, housing and communal services and the police.
List of telephones of official instances
Federal Drug Control Service hotline: +7 (495) 621-43-91
Contact center for housing and communal services in Moscow:
8 (495) 726-80-49 8 (903) 726-80-49
Hot line phones of the Moscow City Housing and Utilities Department:
8 (499) 921-02-01 8 (495) 664-62-91 (from 9:00 to 12:00, from 13:00 to 17:00) 8 (495) 726-80-49 8 (903) 726-80-49 (for calls from mobile phones).
Helpline of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow: 8 (495) 698-66-61
