WORLD / AMERICAS
Google, Twitter, Facebook Face 8 More Legal Complaints in Russia, Court Says
Published: Nov 24, 2021 06:32 PM
Twitter Photo:VCG

Twitter Photo:VCG


 
Transnational IT giants Google, Twitter and Meta (formerly Facebook) received a total of eight new administrative protocols in Russia for failure to remove banned content from their platforms, a Moscow court said on Tuesday.

"Two protocols against Google have been registered under Part 4 of Article 13.41 of the Administrative Code (failure to remove links) and one protocol under Part 2 of the same Article (failure to remove banned content)," the court said.

The Russian internet watchdog, Roskomnadzor, also filed two protocols against Twitter for failure to delete banned content and links leading to such content, and another three for Meta on the same grounds.

As of September, Google has been fined a total of 39 million rubles ($520,00) for failure to remove content banned in Russia, including incitement to extremism, as well as for refusal to store the personal data of Russian citizens within Russia.

The court will consider the new complaints against Google on 7 December, against Twitter and Meta on 16 December.

In March, the Russian watchdog announced its plans to impose fines on several social media platforms, including Facebook, for failing to remove illegal content after receiving an official notification. In case of repeat violations, fines increase to one-tenth of a company's total annual income.

On Monday, Roskomnadzor also published a list of 13 foreign Internet companies obliged to open representative offices in the country by January 1. The list includes Google, Apple, Meta Platforms, Twitter, TikTok, Telegram, Zoom, Viber, Spotify, Likeme Pte. Ltd. (Likee), Discord, Pinterest and Twitch.