MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/. Google has ignored three requests from the Russian communications watchdog to delete unlawful content from YouTube that denigrates Russian national symbols — the flag and the coat of arms, the watchdog's press service said on Friday.
"The YouTube video hosting site does not always diligently respond to the demands from the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media to delete unlawful content," it stated.
"On July 31, the [Roskomnadzor] service received an order from the General Prosecutor’s Office to delete from one of the pages a video openly insulting Russia’s national symbols," it went on to say. The communications watchdog has already had to send three notifications to Google — the owner of the [video] hosting site — however, access has not been restricted to the data that the General Prosecutor’s Office referred to," it reported.
"Roskomnadzor maintains constant working contacts with Google’s leadership, but on some incidents these contacts fail to generate any favorable result. In this case, Google continues to ignore the rules and requirements of Russia’s legislation," it added.
A video, filmed in Odessa, Ukraine as it appears from the name, shows unidentified persons burning the Russian flag and desecrating the state emblem.
The communications supervisor vowed that it would see to it that Russia’s legislation will be adhered to, using whatever legal means necessary. "We believe Google will comply with this demand to remove unlawful content from the video hosting’s page, given that it has met similar demands earlier to remove files insulting Russia’s national symbols," the watchdog claimed.
A law stipulating stiff penalties for those who insult state institutions and symbols came into effect in March 2019. The law makes it possible to block online material that denigrates Russian society, state symbols and institutions. In particular, according to the legislation, information "that either violates human dignity, or offends public morals, or shows flagrant disrespect for Russia’s society, state, official government symbols, the Constitution and state agencies" will be blocked. Those breaking the law for the first time will have to pay a fine of 30,000 to 100,000 rubles ($463-1,540), while a repeated violation will carry a fine ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 rubles ($1,540-3,000). A violation committed more than twice will be punishable by a fine of 200,000 to 300,000 rubles ($3,000-4,600) or an administrative arrest of up to 15 days.