Russia threatens Google and Wikipedia with fines

Russia threatens Google and Wikipedia with fines

The case will be heard in Moscow's Tagansky district's 422nd magistrate judicial district on April 21

A Russian court has registered administrative cases against Google and Wikipedia. It has threatened to impose hefty fines on Wikimedia Foundation and Google for refusing to remove inaccurate reports and encouraging extremism against Russian citizens on the special military operation in Ukraine.

Earlier, Roskomnadzor, Russia's Internet regulator had filed the protocols for Wikimedia under Article 13.41 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, in the court. It pertained to the failure to remove any content banned in Russia. Google is facing a fine of up to 12 million rubles.

Beginning last year, the leading Internet service providers Google, Telegram, Facebook (now Meta) and Twitter have repeatedly been held accountable for violating Russian regulations. In December last, a Russian court had ordered Meta to pay 2 billion rubles and Google was ordered to pay over 7.2 billion rubles as a fine.

Since Moscow considers it illegal, Google is also likely to face a fine over its refusal to eliminate content from its video-sharing site YouTube.