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Russia fines Alphabet's Google $387 million for content violations
The Interfax news agency reported that Alphabet's Google was fined 21.8 billion roubles ($387 million) on Monday (July 18) by a Russian court for a repeated failure to remove content that Moscow deems illegal.
Russia has long objected to foreign tech platforms' distribution of content that breaks its restrictions, but what has been a simmering conflict has erupted into full-blown battle since Moscow assembled its armed forces before sending them to Ukraine in February, the Anews reported, citing Reuters.
Late last year, Google was fined 7.2 billion roubles for failing to remove or block content, according to the report.
Its Russian unit's bank account has been seized, prompting the subsidiary to file for bankruptcy and making it impossible to pay staff and vendors.
Google, which may appeal the ruling, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Communications organization Roskomnadzor said in June that Alphabet's YouTube video platform was deliberately spreading false information about the conflict in Ukraine, allowing content promoting extremist views and calls for children to participate in unauthorized protests.
Roskomnadzor said: "The video hosting site YouTube deliberately promotes the dissemination of misleading information about the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine, discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation.”
UN experts condemn civil society shutdown in Russia
Russia says it is conducting a "special military operation" in Ukraine to defuse a threat to its security and protect Russian speakers from persecution.
It should be noted that Ukraine and its Western allies dismiss such allegations as baseless pretexts for an illegal land grab.
Source: anews
