MOSCOW, Russia – WhatsApp has been penalized by a Russian court on Thursday, June 1, 2023, fined three million roubles ($37,000) for failing to remove banned content.
The reprimand aligns with Russia’s increased scrutiny of international tech companies and their content moderation policies.
WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook Inc., was banned and designated “extremist” by Russian authorities last year.
While Meta’s other platforms, Facebook and Instagram, were subsequently blocked in Russia along with Twitter, WhatsApp remained accessible.
The fine imposed on WhatsApp was for its failure to expunge a chat group that reportedly offered an antidepressant prohibited for sale in Russia, according to multiple Russian news agencies.
“This is a clear violation of our country’s regulations,” stated a Russian official during the court proceedings. “All platforms operating here are required to follow our rules and regulations.”
This is not the first time WhatsApp has faced regulatory heat in Russia.
The messaging platform had been fined earlier for breaching local rules by not storing the data of Russian users on servers located within the country.
Other global tech giants like Google, Twitter, TikTok, and another messaging app, Telegram, have also faced fines in Russia in the past over similar charges of failing to remove illegal content.
With this latest move, the Russian government continues to demonstrate its stringent oversight of digital platforms.
The fine levied against WhatsApp signals an ongoing trend of tensions between Russia and global tech companies, raising concerns over potential impacts on freedom of speech and digital rights.
