Russia fines WhatsApp, others over data storage violations – agencies

FILE PHOTO: Broken Ethernet cable is seen in front of Russian flag and SnapChat logo in this illustration. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

MOSCOW-A Russian court on Thursday fined Meta Platforms Inc’s WhatsApp messenger, Snapchat owner Snap Inc and other foreign firms for their alleged refusal to store the data of Russian users domestically, news agencies reported.

Moscow has clashed with Big Tech over content, censorship, data and local representation in disputes that have escalated since Russia sent its armed forces into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Moscow’s Tagansky District Court fined WhatsApp 18 million roubles ($301,255), Tinder owner Match Group 2 million roubles and Snap and Hotels.com, owned by Expedia Group Inc, 1 million roubles, news agencies reported. WhatsApp was fined for the same offence last August.

None of the companies immediately responded to requests for comment.

The RIA news agency quoted a lawyer for Hotels.com as saying that the company did not recognise the charge as an offence, adding that the company had stopped processing any data of users from Russia since April 1.

Russia restricted access to Meta’s flagship platforms Facebook and Instagram, as well as fellow social network Twitter, soon after the conflict in Ukraine began, a move critics have cast as an effort by Russia to exert greater control over information flows.

Meta was found guilty of “extremist activity” in Russia and saw an appeal against the tag rejected in June, but Moscow has permitted WhatsApp to remain available.

According to the ruling, when referring to Meta in the public sphere, organisations and individuals are required to include the disclaimer that Meta’s activities are banned on Russian territory.

Microsoft’s LinkedIn has been blocked in Russia for years after a court found it breached the data-storage rule, which was passed in 2015.

($1 = 59.7500 roubles)