MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Moscow court docket mentioned it had fined video streaming service Twitch, social community Pinterest, vacation rental firm Airbnb and United Parcel Service (UPS) on Tuesday for refusing to retailer Russian residents’ private data in Russia.
Moscow has clashed with Big Tech over content material, censorship, data and native illustration in a simmering dispute that has erupted right into a full-on battle since Russia despatched tens of hundreds of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor in late May opened administrative instances in opposition to Amazon-owned Twitch, Pinterest, Airbnb, UPS and two different foreign corporations accused of violating private data laws.
The Moscow court docket’s press service mentioned Twitch had been discovered responsible by the Tagansky District Court and fined 2 million roubles ($37,700). Pinterest and Airbnb had been additionally fined 2 million roubles, information businesses reported, and UPS 1 million roubles.
Twitch, Pinterest, Airbnb and UPS didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
For first-time offences, corporations might be fined 1-6 million roubles, mentioned Roskomnadzor, which has additionally opened instances in opposition to Apple and Likeme.
Russia fined Alphabet Inc’s Google 15 million roubles this month for what it mentioned was repeated failure to adjust to Russian laws on data storage, after handing it a 3-million-rouble penalty final 12 months.
Google’s Russian subsidiary has filed for chapter after authorities seized its checking account, making it unattainable to pay employees and distributors. It is going through different doable fines over content material.
Separately, the court docket mentioned it had fined Canada-based storytelling platform Wattpad Corp. 1 million roubles for failing to delete content material that Russia deems unlawful.
Wattpad had no instant remark.
($1 = 53.0000 roubles)
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Mark Potter)
