Russia's Roskomnadzor May Fine Facebook, Twitter For Failure To Localize Users Database

Russia's telecommunications regulator Roskomnadzor said Tuesday it will order in late February US social media giants Facebook and Twitter to store databases of Russian users in Russia within nine months or fine these companies for failure to comply with Russian legislation

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2019) Russia's telecommunications regulator Roskomnadzor said Tuesday it will order in late February US social media giants Facebook and Twitter to store databases of Russian users in Russia within nine months or fine these companies for failure to comply with Russian legislation.

"As I recall, after a week or something, on February 21, we will be deciding on Twitter or Facebook. In general, there is a difference of several days between Twitter and Facebook. Sometime after the 20th [of February], the protocols will be signed. Under these protocols, the companies will be ordered to either localize the databases within a certain period, I suppose it will be about nine months, or they will be punished," Alexander Zharov, head of Roskomnadzor, told reporters.

Zahrov added that he expected representatives from Twitter to meet with Roskomnadzor officials in Moscow by the end of February to discuss the issue.

Roskomnadzor launched an administrative suit against Facebook and Twitter in January after the companies failed to provide concrete responses to the watchdog's request on localizing users' personal data on the Russian territory.

Russia's 2014 law requires social networking sites to store the personal data of Russian users inside the country.