Russia court orders Google to pay yet another fine
Sept 30, 2021: A Russian court has ordered Google to pay another hefty fine for violating domestic laws on prohibited content, even as Moscow allows foreign firms to open offices in Russia and store Russian personal data on its territory.
A magistrate’s court in Moscow’s Teganka district ruled on September 29 that Google would have to pay a total of 6.5 million rubles ($ 89,400) in two cases for failing to delete banned content. The US technology giant faces a similar charge in another case that will be heard on November 8, court spokeswoman Zulfia Gurenchuk said in a statement.
In recent months, the same court has ordered Google to pay millions of dollars in fines for its content and refusing to localize its users’ personal data in Russia.
Moscow courts have fined Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Telegram and TikTok on similar charges.
Earlier this month, a Moscow court imposed five fines worth 21 million rubles ($288,000) on Facebook for not deleting banned content, while the same court also imposed a fine of 5 million rubles on Twitter. Was imposed
On September 29, Russia threatened to block YouTube, which is owned by Google, after removing Russian state-backed broadcaster RT’s German-language channels from the video-sharing platform.
Russia has threatened to block YouTube unless the Google-owned video service restores two German-language channels managed by Russia’s state media company RT that were deleted after they published what YouTube called “misinformation” about covid-19 and coronavirus vaccines.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused social media platforms and other technology companies of violating the country’s Internet laws, including forcing foreign firms to open offices in Russia.
Critics say the push has nothing to do with “Internet integrity” and instead accuse the authorities of trying to quell dissent amid a decrease in the popularity of Putin and the ruling United Party.
Earlier this month, Russia’s communications watchdog threatened to fine Apple and Google unless they removed an app created by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny from their stores.
Earlier, in South Korea, Google was fined 150 million euros. The anti-trust authority demanded a fine because Google has misused its power in the operating system and apps market.
The fine is a new step in regulatory action against technology giants around the world. South Korea introduced a new law aimed at reducing its monopoly on the world of apps and games.
South Korea has banned major app store operators such as Google and Apple from forcing software developers to use their payment systems. The ruling states that Google has blocked market competition through an “anti-fragmentation agreement” that prevents smartphone makers from installing modified versions of Android, known as “Android Forks”.
The South Korean Antitrust Watchdog fined Google 207.4 billion in local currency ($176.8 million) and ordered the global technology company to take corrective action.
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