For failing to restrict access to "prohibited" material about the war in Ukraine and other content Russia has hit Google with a 21.1 billion rouble ($373m; £301m) fine. The country’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor said the information included "fake" reports that discredited Russia's military and posts urging people to protest, according to Reuters.
In recent years, Russia has been ramping up pressure on tech firms, accusing them of not moderating their content properly, and interfering in the country's internal affairs. Even though the search engine giant did not comment immediately, the Russian called it a "systematic" violator of its laws. The company's local subsidiary declared bankruptcy last month. The move came after Russian authorities seized its local bank account, allowing them to recover 7.2bn roubles that the firm had been ordered to pay for similar reasons last year.
Russia’s efforts to control social media and other news outlets have drastically increased after the invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. Additionally, the government also passed a law threatening people who spread "fake" information about the war with 15 years in prison.
However, unlike some other social media sites, such as Facebook, it has not been completely banned in Russia, where many smartphones rely on the company's technology. In March, Alphabet said the decision to continue offering search, maps and YouTube provided Russians with access to "global information and perspectives". The fine was calculated as a share of the firm's local revenue, marking the biggest penalty ever imposed on a tech company in Russia, according to state media.
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