Russia fined Google for spreading what it calls “false information” about the invasion of Ukraine. Photo: AFP
A Moscow court on Monday fined the US giant Google for 21 billion rubles (approx 360 million dollars) from do not remove content reporting the invasion in Ukraine, according to Russian telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor.
The agency said the video platform owned by Google YouTube it had not blocked “false information” about the offensive in Ukraine nor the contents that “spread extremism and terrorism” or that “call minors to participate in unauthorized demonstrations”.
This is a recurring phrase. According to the law, the company was sanctioned based on its “annual turnover” in RussiaHe observed Roskomnadzor.
Buildings destroyed by Russian attacks in Ukraine. Moscow accused Google of “spreading false information” about the invasion. Photo: REUTERS
Moscow and the long history of its confrontation with technological platforms
The confrontation between Moscow and foreign technological platforms for the distribution of content that the Kremlin claims not abiding by its restrictions is long-standing.
In recent years, Russian authorities have increased the pressure on major Western digital companies, with systematic sanctions and threats, in the hopes of silencing critics on the internet, one of Russia’s spaces of free expression.
The dispute, however, has turned into an all-out battle since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in February of this year. Like most of the western tech giants, Google has fled the Russian market to denounce the military offensive in Ukraine.
Quoted by the Ria-Novosti news agency, an industry expert, Vladimir Zykov, indicated that this was the highest fine ever imposed on a high-tech company in Russia.
The accusation of Russia against Google came from some YouTube videos. Photo: AFP
For Zykov, the Russian authorities can impose on Google “all the fines they want, they won’t get any money” because the American company has ceased its activities in Russia and no longer makes profits there. At the moment, Google has not reacted to this historic fine.
Roskomnadzor accused Google and YouTube of “terrorist” activities in Marchforeshadowing a possible site crash in Russia, as did Twitter, Instagram and many independent media after the attack in Ukraine.
Russian authorities heavily strengthened the legal arsenal to control reporting on the military operation, threatening penalties of up to 15 years of imprisonment for those who spreading “false information” about the Russian army. Currently, several people are in jail on these charges.
Source: AFP
Source: Clarin
