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Moscow court fines Google over $40,000 for refusing to localize users’ data in Russia

This is the first punishment for the refusal to localize the databases of Russian users in the country for the company

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. The Magistrates' Court in Moscow has fined Google 3 mln rubles ($40,975) for refusing to localize its users’ data in Russia, a representative of the court’s press service told TASS.

"By the decision of the magistrate court of the judicial district No 422 of the Tagansky district of Moscow on the lawsuit of administrative wrongdoing under Part 8 of Art. 13.11 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Russian Federation (‘Violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of personal data’), Googlе LLC has been sentenced to an administrative fine of 3 mln rubles ($40,975)," the court said.

This is the first punishment for the refusal to localize the databases of Russian users in the country for the company. Previously the court fined Google for the refusal to delete banned information.

Earlier, the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media said that Google, Facebook, Twitter and other social media giants had not localized the personal data of Russian users by July 1, 2021. An administrative protocol against Google was drawn up for the violation of laws on the localization of databases in Russia, the watchdog added. It also expects a reply from Facebook and Twitter, "after which the issue of initiating administrative proceedings will be decided on."

Meanwhile, the regulator noted that "as of today around 600 representative offices of foreign companies in Russia have localized the storage of personal data of Russian users."