Russia May Fine Google up to $240 Million Over Content Deemed Illegal

The logo of Russia's authorities communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, is reflected successful a laptop surface showing Google commencement page, successful this representation illustration taken connected May 27, 2021. (Maxim Shemetov/Illustration/File Photo/Reuters)

Russia said connected Tuesday it is seeking to good Google much than $200 cardinal aft the U.S. tech elephantine repeatedly failed to region contented deemed amerciable by Moscow.

Communications regulator Roskomnadzor said Google had failed to wage 32.5 cardinal roubles ($458,100) successful penalties levied truthful acold this twelvemonth and that it would present question a good of 5 to 20 percent of Google’s Russian turnover, which could scope arsenic overmuch arsenic $240 million.

Roskomnadzor, Russia’s Federal Supervision Agency for Information Technologies and Communications, is the country’s work liable for censorship successful media and telecommunications.

Google did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Russia has progressively penalized exertion firms that neglect to comply with Russian laws for a fig of months.

In September, Russia urged Google and Apple to remove a tactical voting app from its online store that was linked to Kremlin professional and jailed absorption person Alexei Navalny arsenic polls opened crossed the state for 3 days of voting successful a parliamentary election.

The Russian absorption person Alexei Navalny’s Smart Voting app is seen connected a phone, successful Moscow, Russia, connected Sept. 16, 2021. (Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

The app is portion of the “Smart Voting” project, which was created by a squad of Navalny supporters. It was designed to signifier a tactical voting run to transmission votes opposing United Russia—President Vladimir Putin’s ruling governmental party.

That aforesaid month, Russian authorities besides blocked entree to the Smart Voting website, which aims to place candidates who are successful the strongest presumption successful the Sept. 19 predetermination successful bid to channel absorption votes. Some net users were inactive capable to entree it.

Opposition activists person accused some tech firms of caving to Kremlin unit aft they removed the anti-government tactical voting app from their stores.

In aboriginal October, Roskomnadzor said it would inquire a Russian tribunal to enforce a good connected Facebook of up to 10 percent of its yearly turnover, citing authorities signed by President Vladimir Putin successful December 2020.

The regulator told quality bureau Reuters successful a connection connected Oct. 19 that a akin lawsuit volition beryllium enactment unneurotic against Google.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News