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Facebook, Twitter obliged to have databases on Russian soil by July 1, says regulator

The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology had already notified the IT giants about the need bring their activities in line with this requirement

© PK Studio/Shutterstock/FOTODOM

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Facebook, Twitter and other Big Tech titans should have the databases of their Russian users located on the territory of the country by July 1, 2021, Milos Wagner, deputy head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media said on Wednesday.

"By July 1, Facebook, Twitter and other social networks should ensure their Russian users data residency in Russia," according to a slide in the presentation Wagner made at the meeting.

Wagner said that the regulator had already notified the IT giants about the need bring their activities in line with this requirement.

"By July 1, we expect them to inform us on how this requirement is being fulfilled," Wagner added.

The Law on personal data obliges domestic and foreign companies to store personal data of Russian citizens only on the territory of the Russian Federation. This requirement applies to foreign companies that do not have a physical presence in Russia but carry out activities on the territory of the country.

Failure to comply with the requirement entails a fine ranging from 1 mln to 6 mln rubles ($13,582-81,492), and repeated violations will be punished with a fine ranging from 6 mln to 18 mln rubles ($81,492-244,447).

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