Russia Fines Google $390 Million For Repeated Content Violations – Interfax

MOSCOW, July 18 (Reuters) – Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Google was fined 21.8 billion rubles ($387 million) by a Russian court on Monday for repeatedly failing to remove content that Moscow considers it illegal, the Interfax news agency reported.

Russia has long opposed foreign tech platforms’ distribution of content that violates its restrictions, but what had been a simmering dispute has erupted into an uphill battle since Moscow mustered its armed forces before sending them to Ukraine. in February.

Late last year, Google was fined 7.2 billion rubles for failing to remove or block content.

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Google, which may appeal the decision, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Communications regulator Roskomnadzor said in June that Alphabet’s YouTube video platform deliberately spread false information about the conflict in Ukraine and allowed content promoting extremist views and calling on children to take part in protests. unauthorized.

“The YouTube video hosting site deliberately encourages the dissemination of misleading information about the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine, discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation,” Roskomnadzor said.

Russia says it is conducting a “special military operation” in Ukraine to defuse a threat to its security and protect Russian speakers from persecution.

Ukraine and its Western allies dismiss these allegations as baseless pretexts for illegal land grabbing.
($1 = 56.2500 rubles)

Reuters reporting; Edited by Kevin Liffey

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