MOSCOW, July 29 The Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media believes that the «big four» telecom operators, like banks, should be given the right to collect biometrics and register biometric data, the head of the ministry, Maksut Shadayev, said at a meeting of the State Duma IT Committee.
«The Ministry of Digital Development, as an industry regulator, is really offended that banks have the right to register citizens in the Unified Biometric System (UBS) … and the level of trust in banks is now greater than in telecom operators … It seems to us that the four operators should receive the same similar powers, the question is in fulfilling the requirements,» Shadayev said. 
Earlier at the meeting, VimpelCom CEO Alexander Torbakhov asked the government to give the «big four» the right to collect biometrics and register biometric data.
According to Torbakhov, there are more than 300 banks in Russia today, while there are only four large operators. He explained that if telecom operators comply with the relevant requirements for collecting biometrics, they can collect information just like banks.
Shadaev added that the ministry will continue to consistently defend the right of operators to register subscribers in the Unified Biometric System and will seek a mechanism with the Federal Security Service (FSB).
The State Unified Biometric System allows citizens to independently control the use of their data. Thus, in the personal account on the State Services portal, you can check the validity period of biometrics at any time, revoke consent to its processing, or delete data. Biometrics are stored in encrypted form separately from other personal data and never leave the perimeter of the Unified Biometric System.