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Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter challenge fines for refusal to localize data in Russia

In late May of 2021, the Russian media watchdog obliged foreign internet services to locate servers with the data of their Russian users to Russia before July 1

MOSCOW, September 24. /TASS/. Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter have challenged fines worth 36 mln rubles ($493,929) imposed for their refusal to locate servers with the data of Russian users in Russia, an official with the magistrate court of the judicial district No 422 of the Tagansky district of Moscow told TASS.

"Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter appealed against the fines to the tune of 36 mln rubles that were imposed on them on August 26 after their refusal to localize data in Russia," the official said.

By the ruling of the judge of the magistrate court of the judicial district No 422 of the Tagansky district of Moscow in case of administrative offense envisaged by part 8 article 13.11, Code of administrative violations ("Violation of Russia’s personal data legislation"), in respect of WhatsApp LLC, a punishment was imposed in the form of an administrative fine in the amount of 4 million rubles ($54,868). Twitter and Facebook were fined 17 million rubles ($233,236) and 15 million rubles ($205,780). They had already been fined 4 million rubles for refusing to relocate their servers with data from Russian users to Russia in February 2020.

On July 29, Google was fined 3 mln rubles ($41,157) under this article. It envisages a fine in the amount from 1 mln to 6 mln rubles ($13,721 - 82,329) and up to 18 mln rubles ($246,989) for a repeated violation.

In late May of 2021, the Russian media watchdog obliged foreign internet services to locate servers with the data of their Russian users to Russia before July 1. According to the watchdog, to date, about 600 representative offices of foreign companies have already located the servers with data of Russian users in Russia.

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