All news

Watchdog ready to fine Google, Facebook, Twitter for refusal to delete banned content

Vadim Subbotin clarified that the decision would be taken regarding those who systematically violate the requirements of the regulator
Deputy Head of the Watchdog Vadim Subbotin Vladimir Gerdo/TASS
Deputy Head of the Watchdog Vadim Subbotin
© Vladimir Gerdo/TASS

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. Russia’s media watchdog is ready to use turnover-based fines against Google, Facebook and Twitter over their refusal to delete banned content, deputy head of the watchdog Vadim Subbotin told reporters.

"As for turnover-based fines - in the near future we will be making a decision on the application of such fines against a number of companies. As for the companies, for which we already have grounds [for penalties] we are going to use it [turnover-based fine]. These are the foreign companies - Facebook, Google and Twitter," he said.

Subbotin clarified that the decision would be taken regarding those who systematically violate the requirements of the regulator.

"This is a more serious matter because to date we already have court verdicts on imposing fines worth more than 130 mln rubles ($1.8 mln) that came into effect. By the way, Twitter still has not paid fines imposed by three verdicts," he said.

The deputy head of the media watchdog said there is information that some big Western companies provide technical assistance in bypassing blocked content and promoting internet resources through which it is possible to spread extremist content and undertake illegal campaigning.

"We are now taking certain technical steps and we are doing it quite successfully," he said.