A Russian court on Thursday fined Google three million rubles (roughly 879 thousand crowns) for violating a law that requires Internet companies to store personal data of Russian users on servers in Russian territory. TASS and Reuters reported, citing court statements. He said that Google had been punished for the first time in this case.
Earlier, however, the Internet giant, like many social network operators, was fined in Russia for failing to remove content from its platforms that is prohibited from being distributed under Russian law. Google also irritated the Russian authorities by blocking some YouTube streaming accounts owned by celebrities or media with pro-Kremlin positions.
According to Reuters, Google has confirmed that it has been fined in Russia. However, he did not provide further information.
The obligation to store data of Russian users on Russian territory is stipulated by a law approved in 2015. Due to violations of this standard, the professional social network LinkedIn has been blocked in Russia in the past.
The Russian authorities have recently been trying to increase control over the Internet space. In March, for example, the social network Twitter began to slow down, explaining that it was not responding enough to calls to remove objectionable content. This means, for example, materials that are evaluated as the promotion of narcotics or suicide or as encouraging minors to take part in unauthorized demonstrations.
Last month, for example, the Roskomnadzor censorship office announced that it had restricted the operation of two services providing Internet connection via a so-called virtual private network (VPN), which also allows the user to access blocked private websites.