Technology Russia gives Google 24 hours to delete banned content

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2021-05-24 22:30:04

The Google logo is seen on on the company's European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, February 27, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Russia's communications watchdog on Monday gave Google (GOOGL.O) 24 hours to delete what it called prohibited content or be fined and said Moscow could eventually slow down the company's traffic in the country.

Russia has already placed a punitive slowdown on U.S. social network Twitter (TWTR.N) for not deleting banned content, part of a push by Moscow to rein in Western tech giants and beef up what it calls its internet "sovereignty". read more

The watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said it had sent more than 26,000 calls to Google to remove illegal information, including videos containing information on drugs or violence and material from what it called extremist organisations.

Google will be fined between 800,000 roubles and 4 million roubles ($10,800-$54,000) if it does not restrict access to the banned information, Roskomnadzor said.