Published on :
The American giant Google was sentenced Friday to a record fine of 7.2 billion rubles, or 87 million euros, by the Russian courts, for not having removed “prohibited” content. This condemnation comes in a context where sanctions against digital giants are piling up in Russia.
Russia condemned, Friday, December 24, Google to a record fine of 87 million euros for not having removed “banned” content, a sign of growing pressure in the country against the digital giants.
In recent years, the Russian authorities have continued to tighten their control over the internet, the last space where critical voices of the Kremlin can still speak with relative freedom.
They regularly sanction large digital companies, especially foreign ones, accused of not erasing content condoning drugs, suicide and linked to the opposition.
The fine of 7.2 billion rubles (87 million euros at the current rate) imposed by Google is, however, unprecedented in terms of its amount.
>> To (re) see, our debate: “The Gafam, a global threat? The methods of the digital giants in question”
In a statement on Telegram, the press service of the courts of Moscow indicated that the Californian giant had been convicted of “recidivism”, because it did not remove from its platforms content considered illegal.
The court did not specify what content it was. “We will study the court documents and then decide on the measures to be adopted,” Google’s press service told AFP, without further comment.
This fine could be followed by another during the day against Meta (Facebook’s parent company), another digital heavyweight, tried by the same Moscow court.
In October, the Russian telecoms gendarme, Roskomnadzor, threatened Meta to impose fines of up to “between 5% and 10% of the annual turnover” of its subsidiary in Russia, or hundreds of millions of euros.
Fines, threats, blockings
In addition to pressure for fines, authorities threatened to arrest Apple and Google employees in Russia if they did not cooperate, according to sources inside the groups.
In September, just before the general elections, Moscow succeeded in this way in forcing these two companies, accused of “electoral interference”, to withdraw from their virtual stores in Russia the application of the imprisoned opponent Alexeï Navalny.
When we do not comply with their demands, the Russian authorities also resort to temporary or permanent blockades. Several sites linked to Navalny, whose organizations have been recognized as “extremists” by the Russian courts, have been permanently blocked.
In September, Russia also blocked six widely used virtual private network (VPN) software allowing access to the growing number of banned websites.
Since 2014, Russian law has also required web companies to store the data of their Russian users in Russia, legislation that has cost Facebook, Google and even Telegram and WhatsApp messengers thousands of euros in fines.
Towards a national network under control
The authorities are also developing a controversial “sovereign internet” system which will eventually make it possible to isolate the Russian Internet by separating it from the major world servers.
The Kremlin denies wanting to build a national network under control, as is the case in China, but this is what NGOs and opponents fear.
In January 2021, President Vladimir Putin ruled that the internet giants were “in de facto competition with states”, denouncing their “attempts to brutally control society”.
Russian power is finally strengthening its grip on the champions of Russian digital technology.
Passed under the control of a subsidiary of the gas giant Gazprom, the Russian tech group VK, parent company of the first Russian social network “VKontakte”, announced in mid-December the appointment as CEO of Vladimir Kirienko, son of a close collaborator of Vladimir Poutine.
With AFP
Download Christine D’Clario – Christmas Vol. 1 (Instrumental) – EP Album Mp3 Zip
Download Maman Gisele Musadi – Nsenda wanyi – EP Album Mp3 Zip
Download Busiswa – My Side of the Story Album Mp3 Zip
Download Łaszewo – Us in Motion – EP Album Mp3 Zip
Download RICHARD BROWN – Let Love Dance Album Mp3 Zip
Download Truth – Neptune – EP Album Mp3 Zip
Download Kollen – Shadows / Light Album Mp3 Zip
Download The Royalty Instrumentality Project – Impression a.I. Album Mp3 Zip
Download Runes – Ardour Album Mp3 Zip
Download The Ribbons – F.F.W.D. (Fast Forward) Album Mp3 Zip
Download Cosima Olu – Magnolia Album Mp3 Zip
Download The Dill – Beside Album Mp3 Zip
Download Mikalthedrummer – The 2nd – EP Album Mp3 Zip
Download Varios Artistas – Algeciras después de Paco Album Mp3 Zip
Download Gad Elmaleh – Dansez sur moi Album Mp3 Zip
Download Al Crawford – For the Children Album Mp3 Zip
Download Various Artists – African Sisters Gospel Vol. 1 Album Mp3 Zip
Download Banda Real – Stay Home v.i.p Real (En Vivo) Album Mp3 Zip
Download Trippie Boi – Unendlich Album Mp3 Zip
Download Nelson Freitas – Dance Mood – EP Album Mp3 Zip
Download Lisa/Liza – Shelter of a Song Album Mp3 Zip
Download Pintón con Ñema – De Barlovento Album Mp3 Zip
Download Killrude – Rest in Peace – EP Album Mp3 Zip
Download LoFi Hip Hop – Chistmas Mix – Lofi Christmas Album Mp3 Zip
Download Chaos E.T. Sexual – Only Human Crust Album Mp3 Zip