Russia could toughen law if Google keeps on ignoring content rules

MOSCOW, Dec 12 (PRIME) -- Russia could toughen the law on content by amending it with blocking for non-fulfilment of its requirements to delete banned content in the search results if Google keeps misbehaving in the future, the watchdog’s Deputy Director Vadim Subbotin said on Wednesday.

If a new case is opened against Google, the company will be fined by the upper notch of the stipulated punishment of 700,000 rubles, Subbotin said, adding that the authority could repeat its check of the company until the end of 2018.

“I don’t rule out that the question of tougher sanctions, up to blocking, will be considered. Such changes could be introduced into federal law 149 on information, information technologies, and information protection,” the official said.

On Tuesday, the watchdog imposed a 500,000 ruble fine on Google for its reluctance to delete from the search results the links to resources with illegal information.

Subbotin said the company has not reacted to the service’s decision. The authority does not plan to ask for additional information or meet with Google’s people. “We’ve explained our position,” he said.

The law obliging search engines to get connected to a single register of banned information and screen search results from the blacklisted websites came in force on October 1. Violations are fined with 500,000–700,000 rubles.

(66.5022 rubles – U.S. $1)

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