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Russian telecom watchdog to audit Facebook, WhatsApp by December 2018

The services will be checked for their compliance with the Russian legislation

© Sergei Konkov/TASS

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/. Russia's telecom watchdog, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, plans to scrutinize Facebook’s and WhatsApp’s compliance with Russian legislation, the watchdog’s chief, Alexander Zharov, told TASS on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday.

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Russian telecom watchdog to audit Facebook, WhatsApp by December 2018

"We are determined to carry out a complete audit of the Facebook company and, possibly, the WhatsApp messenger on the territory of Russia for their compliance with our legislation, the localization of our citizens’ databases on our country’s soil and compliance with laws concerning the removal of prohibited content. So, based on the outcome of this audit, a decision will be made," Zharov vowed.

Earlier, he told the media that Facebook would be blocked in Russia just as the social network Linkedin, if it refuses to comply with personal data laws.

Russia’s personal data law took effect on September 1, 2015. It obliges both Russian and foreign companies to keep Russians’ personal data on Russian soil.

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Russia hit Ukrainian military-industrial facility in response to use of Western missiles

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Russia uses aerial bombs to destroy Ukrainian positions near DPR’s Konstantinovka — source

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White House not yet ready to speak on causes of Baltic undersea cable ruptures

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Biden's decision on missile strikes on Russia is his 'last gasp' — Japanese lawmaker

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US makes mistake by destroying INF Treaty — Putin

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Russia interested in security of Baltic undersea infrastructure — embassy in Denmark

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Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

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Biden's decision to use ATACMS on Russia threatens to kill Americans — Tucker Carlson

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Russia encircles largest Ukrainian fortification in southern DPR — security services

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Oreshnik test aims to persuade West to avoid escalation in Ukraine — media

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Russian embassy warns UK about dangers of calling for Moscow’s ‘defeat’

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Bulgarian politician sees Oreshnik missile strike as wake-up call for peace

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US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

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Press review: Russia fires missile at Ukraine plant and Biden forgives Kiev $4.65 bln debt

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US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

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Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

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US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

German politician slams Ukraine’s ‘irresponsible’ strike on Russia with UK-made missiles

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