Google LLC was fined $358 million (21 billion rubles) by a court in Moscow for failing to place access restrictions on information that was illegal in the nation.
More precisely, despite repeated demands from the Russian IT controller, Google and its subsidiary YouTube have not taken down the following items, according to a statement by Roskomnadzor, Russia’s internet watchdog:
Information regarding the “special military operation’s” progress in Ukraine, which casts doubt on the Russian Federation’s armed forces.
Content that encourages terrorism and extremism
Content that encourages detrimental behaviors to children’ lives and health
Participation in unauthorized mass actions is encouraged by information.
In recent months, the Roskomnadzor has attempted to impose sanctions based on several provisions of the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses.
For the nth time for failing to remove illegal information, the organization last month penalized Google LLC 68 million rubles ($1.2 million).
The subsequent fine would be revenue-based and might amount to 10% of the company’s yearly revenue as a result of multiple violations of the same legal requirement.
According to Roskomnadzor, the significant $358 million punishment was in fact determined based on the company’s yearly business turnover in Russia.
Russian Google Search and YouTube users will now notice a warning about the company breaking the law and won’t be permitted to display adverts or use them as information sources, in addition to the punishment.
The same action was taken last week against Twitch Interactive, the well-known streaming service, for failing to remove content that had been made illegal in Russia.
Status of Google in Russia
The Russian Google subsidiary, Google LLC, was forced to file for bankruptcy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the extensive anti-fake news laws adopted in the nation. The company claimed it was unable to continue operations as a result of a series of hefty fines and, ultimately, asset confiscation.
Although there are some restrictions, Google’s free services are still available in Russia. However, neither businesses nor individuals are allowed to buy advertising campaigns there.
