Russia threatens to fine social media giants for not deleting protest-related posts

Russia on January 27 said that social media giants including TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube “will be fined” for failing to delete posts that motivated youngsters to participate in opposition protests. In a statement, Russia media’s watchdog, Roskomnzor said that fines could be as much as 4 million rubles or $53,000 after nationwide rallies were held demanding immediate release of Russian President Vlimir Putin’s staunch critic and opposition leer Alexei Navalny. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people defied heavy law enforcement presence as y organised demonstrations in freezing temperatures.

“Social networks Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, VKontakte, Odklassniki, as well as YouTube video hosting will be fined for failure to comply with requirements to suppress spre of appeals to mirs to participate in unauthorized rallies on January 23,” said Russia media watchdog.

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Watchdog says 170 illegal appeals ‘t removed’

Roskomnzor also said that Prosecutor General’s Office and itself h requested social media platforms to remove “in a timely manner a total of 170 illegal appeals”, but y failed to comply with it. Posts promoting what is reportedly termed as ‘biggest’ opposition rallies flooded social media and were watched hundreds of millions of times on TikTok. It was flurry of videos on social media sites that prompted Russia media watchdog to demand applications to take down any information that encourd “mirs to act illegally”. 

“We remind ministrations of social networks that in event of a repeated offence, amount of fine can be increased to one-tenth of total amount of annual proceeds. We ask manment of Internet platforms to refrain from disseminating calls for participation in unauthorized public events,” said Russia media watchdog.

protests were organised in a range of cities across Russia when temperatures were as low as minus-50 C, highlighting influence Kremlin’s most prominent foe has built in nation. Navalny's wife Yulia was also detained in Moscow. Navalny was arrested on January 17 on returning to Moscow from Germany, where he h spent nearly five months recovering from nerve-nt poisoning that he has blamed on Kremlin but Russian authorities deny. 

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