Russia Levies Penalty on Google for Failing to Remove Prohibited Materials
In a continuing spat between Russia and Big Tech, the Russian court has imposed fines on several tech giants, including WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. The fines are related to the companies' failure to localize customer data on Russian territory.
According to reports by the Interfax news corporation, WhatsApp was fined 4 million rubles for violating the data localization law. The messaging service, owned by Facebook, is facing a potential fine of between 1 million and 6 million rubles ($13,700 to $82,250).
Similarly, a Russian court fined Alphabet Inc.'s Google three million roubles for violating personal data regulations. The details of the case were not immediately disclosed.
The administrative complaints against these companies are not new. Moscow has been fining social media giants for failing to remove banned content. This is not the first time Facebook and Twitter have faced such complaints in Russia for similar offenses. No immediate comment was provided by Facebook regarding the complaints.
The Russian government is seeking to compel overseas tech companies to open offices in Russia. The ongoing dispute between Russia and Big Tech companies is a part of a wider spat, with both parties clashing over issues of data privacy, censorship, and the companies' perceived influence on society.
Court documents regarding the fines have been released, but a court date has not yet been set. As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how these tech giants will respond and whether they will comply with the Russian government's demands.
