Russia warns tougher Facebook, Google sentences

Russia is planning to toughen fines for technology companies that fail to enforce Russian laws, close sources report on the plan. This decision is expected to strengthen the Kremlin's fight against technology giants, such as Facebook and Google.

Over the past five years, Russia has adopted tougher internet laws. These laws require that the search machines erase some data when they deliver results, the services for sending messages to allow secret mail services to decode messages and social networks to place their users' data only on domestic servers.

Sources close to the government have said the plan for rigging penalties has been drafted in the form of an advisory document prepared by the administration of Vladimir Putin and sent to the largest companies to assess it. For now, Russia's only means of implementing data regulations is providing fines that are no bigger than a few thousand dollars and blocking online services.

Proposal for toughing fines requires that companies that violate the law be punished by 1% of their annual circulation value. However, the Kremlin has not responded to drafting this proposal. A state representative of the communications regulator said he cannot give comments because his agency is not involved in drafting laws.

Russian communications regulator has repeatedly accused Facebook and Google of failing to enforce Russian laws. This institution had blocked the activity of page “LinkedIn” two years ago, and he had been trying to do the same with the telegram service. On the other hand, representatives of major technological companies in Russia have not given comments on the issue, writes “Reuters”.