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Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp appeal 36-mln-ruble fines over failure to localize user data in Russia – court
MOSCOW. Sept 24 (Interfax) – Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp have challenged in an appeal court the fines in the multimillions imposed on them by a Russian court over a breach of the law that requires the localization of Russian users’ data in Russian territory.
"Appeals against the ruling of a justice of the peace in regard to WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook have been lodged with Moscow’s Tagansky District Court," a court representative told Interfax.
In the appeals, the companies are asking for a cancellation of the large fines.
On August 26, a magistrates’ court fined Twitter and Facebook 17 million and 15 million rubles, respectively, over a repeat offense: refusal to localize the data of Russian users in Russian territory. WhatsApp was charged with its first administrative offense of the kind and fined 4 million rubles.
A court in Moscow fined Google LLC 3 million rubles over a similar offense earlier. It was the first fine imposed on Google over the refusal to localize databases of Russian users in Russia.
As of this date, the storage of personal data of Russian users has been localized in Russia by approximately 600 offices of foreign companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, PayPal, Booking, and LG, Roskomnadzor said.
The LinkedIn social network has been blocked in Russia due to a breach of the localization requirement. Moscow’s Tagansky District Court upheld a relevant motion from Roskomnadzor in 2016.
Localization of Russian users’ data has been discussed with Facebook and Twitter since 2015.
Since the beginning of this year, Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, Google, TikTok and WhatsApp have been repeatedly charged with administrative offenses, mostly, over the refusal to remove content prohibited in Russia.
Fines imposed over violations of Russian laws have exceeded 80 million rubles for Facebook, neared 60 million rubles for Twitter, and reached about 40 million for Telegram in 2021.
The court told Interfax earlier that materials would be directed to the Federal Bailiff Service and the collection of fines would be enforced unless the companies pay their fines voluntarily.
