Russia fined Facebook and Twitter on Tuesday for not deleting banned content, adding to a slew of penalties the government has imposed on foreign tech giants.<\/p>\n
Russia has recently been tightening controls over US-based tech companies and last week accused them of interfering in parliamentary polls this weekend.<\/p>\n
A court in Moscow slapped Facebook with five fines on Tuesday totalling 21 million rubles ($288,000), according to an official Telegram channel. The same court fined Twitter five million rubles.<\/p>\n
Russia regularly takes legal action against internet platforms for not removing content it labels illegal, such as pornographic material or posts condoning drugs and suicide.<\/p>\n
Facebook has so far been fined 90 million rubles in Russia and Twitter 45 million, the state-run TASS news agency reported.<\/p>\n
Judicial authorities have also fined Google citing the same offences and also for failing to store the data of Russian users on domestic services.<\/p>\n
As part of broad efforts to reel foreign tech under its control, Russia also banned six major VPN providers this month including Nord VPN and Express VPN.<\/p>\n
In January, Russia demanded that social networks take down posts calling on Russians to join protests in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, under the guise of preventing minors from attending.<\/p>\n
President Vladimir Putin complained that month of the growing influence of large technology companies, which he said were competing with sovereign states.<\/p>\n
- Election 'interference' -<\/p>\n
Russia's foreign ministry said last week it had summoned the US ambassador in Moscow to present proof of US tech giants' \"interference\" in the forthcoming polls.<\/p>\n
Nearly all Kremlin critics -- including allies of Navalny -- have been barred from running in parliamentary elections on 17-19 September.<\/p>\n
Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor has blocked dozens of websites linked to Navalny, including a site that instructs Russians on how to vote out politicians of the ruling United Russia party.<\/p>\n
The regulator has also urged Google and Apple to remove an app dedicated to Navalny's \"Smart Voting\" campaign from their stores.<\/p>\n
Navalny, 45, who is behind bars on old fraud charges, has this year seen his political network and anti-corruption group banned. His top aides have fled the country.<\/p>\n
A Russian diplomatic source said Navalny's app was \"obviously\" linked to US secret services through its developer Roman Rubanov, the former head of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).<\/p>\n
The source said Rubanov is now employed by the California-based space infrastructure company Momentus Inc, which has former Pentagon officials among its leadership.<\/p>\n
The \"Smart Voting\" tactic led the increasingly unpopular United Russia party to lose a number of seats in local elections in 2019.<\/p>\n
However, there is little doubt that Putin's party will retain its majority in parliament.<\/p>\n
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Tech giants: Russia fines Facebook and Twitter over banned content - RTL Today<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Russia fined Facebook and Twitter on Tuesday for not deleting banned content, adding to a slew of penalties the government has imposed on foreign tech giants. Russia has recently been tightening controls over US-based tech companies and last week accused them of interfering in parliamentary polls this weekend Continue reading