Russia Imposes Financial Penalties on Google for Failing to Remove Prohibited Material
In the ongoing dispute between Russia and Big Tech, administrative complaints have been lodged against several tech companies, including WhatsApp, Twitter, and Google. The complaints are primarily related to violations of personal data regulations.
Recently, Russia's telecommunications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, partially restricted voice call features on WhatsApp and Telegram, citing concerns over their role in scams, extortion, and terrorist recruitment. This action comes as a result of the services' failure to implement sufficient safeguards against misuse. Despite this, messaging functions continue to operate as usual.
Regarding Twitter, specific administrative complaints or penalties for failing to localize Russian users' data have not been detailed. However, Twitter, along with Facebook and WhatsApp, has been required to comply with takedown requests targeting "fake news" and extremist content as part of Russia's efforts to regulate digital platforms.
As for WhatsApp, no immediate comment was made regarding the complaints. Court documents regarding a potential fine for violating personal data regulations have been reported by Interfax. If found guilty, WhatsApp could face a fine of between 1 million and 6 million roubles.
This is not the first time Russia has taken such action against Big Tech companies. In the past, Alphabet Inc.'s Google was fined three million roubles for similar violations.
Moscow is also seeking to compel foreign tech companies to open offices in Russia. The broader context confirms increasing regulatory pressures on foreign platforms, but with limited publicly available updates on any finalized sanctions specifically for data localization non-compliance.
As of late August 2025, there have been no concrete penalties or full bans of WhatsApp or Twitter over Russian user data localization. The situation centers more on misuse prevention than on strict data localization enforcement.
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