Russia May Cripple Google Services Over Failure To Remove 'Illegal Content'
Russia May Cripple Google Services Over Failure To Remove 'Illegal Content'
BY TYLER DURDEN MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021 - 11:15 AM
Russia may forcibly slow down Google services after the tech
giant failed to remove 12 YouTube videos containing "illegal content"
regarding unauthorized opposition rallies held in January 2021, according to
the Moscow Times.
In response to demands by Russia's internet regulator Roskomnadzor to
remove the 12 videos it says calls on minors to participate in unauthorized
rallies, it has now emerged that Google filed its first-ever lawsuit
against the regulator on April 23 in the Moscow
Arbitration Court, which was accepted by the court on May 11. The first hearing
is scheduled for July 14.
The case relates to content deletion requests
Roskomnadzor sent to Google in January, when
the regulator embarked on a high-profile campaign against a host of social media giants over a surge in the number of posts in
support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny following
his return and detention in Russia.
Roskomnadzor requested both foreign and Russian technology
companies, including Facebook,
VKontakte, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter, delete tens of thousands of posts, videos and
pictures it said was in violation of Russian laws. Content
that Russia deems illegal ranges from posts promoting drug use or featuring
child pornography to posts it says encourage under-18s to attend mass rallies.
-Moscow Times
Roskomnadzor, meanwhile, has also called on Google to
unblock a video on state-run Sputnik France regarding the spread of COVID-19,
hilariously claiming in a May 22 letter that "such actions by the YouTube video
hosting administration violate the key principles of free dissemination of
information, unhindered access to it and are an act of
censorship against the Russian media."
"The department demands to remove all restrictions as soon
as possible, as well as explain the reasons for their introduction," the
letter continues.
Google-owned YouTube has also faced pushback from Russia for
blocking the channel of pro-Kremlin, Tsargrad TV, along with removing state-run
RT videos which Google claims promote COVID-19 disinformation.
Russia’s competition authorities are also investigating Google for alleged abuse of its market
dominance, and have sought to oust foreign companies’
dominance of the Russian software market through laws requiring Russian-made
apps, such as browsers and search engines, to be pre-installed on all smartphones sold in Russia.
The regulator is also forcibly slowing-down
Twitter and previously said it was prepared to ban the social media platform if it did not
comply with Russia’s requests to remove content. -Moscow
Times
"Recently, government agencies have
stepped up their demands to remove content from Google's websites, and the list
is constantly widening, so the company has to react, defending its interests,"
said Yekaterina Abashina, an attorney for Russian digital rights NGO
Roskomsvoboda (via TASS).
Another attorney, Alexy Gavrishev, thinks "Google
deliberately filed a lawsuit on behalf of the parent company ... in the hopes
of challenging decisions in other jurisdictions, for example in a European court."
In December, Russia fined Google 3 million rubles (around
USD$41,000 at the time) for their failure to take down online content banned by
Russian authorities - the latest in a string of fines dating
back several years.
Last week, Russian lawmakers submitted a draft bill which would
force tech giants to open offices in Russia, or Russian companies would be
banned from advertising with them.
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