UPDATE: Russian service asks operators to block US network LinkedIn

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MOSCOW, Nov 17 (PRIME) – Russia has added U.S. business and employment-oriented social network LinkedIn to the register of violators of rights of personal data subjects and asked connection operators to block the resource on the country’s territory on Thursday, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media said.

“On the basis of a court decision, which came in force, social network LinkedIn has been included into the register...and indicated for blocking by operators,” the service said.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin will not interfere with LinkedIn blocking, as the communications service acts according to the law.

Russia has no fear that the blocking will be interpreted as censure, Peskov said. “The Russian authority acts in strict compliance with the law and asks companies to respect Russian laws and rules,” he said.

On November 10, the Moscow City Court sided with a lower court’s decision to block LinkedIn for breaking the law obliging Internet companies to store personal data of citizens on the country’s territory. Web sites of perpetrators are included in the register and can be later blocked.

The communications service’s press secretary Vadim Ampelonsky said a possible meeting of representatives of the authority and LinkedIn on data storage is being discussed. “The matter is being agreed upon with state entities; I don’t know when the process will come to an end,” he said.

LinkedIn had more than 400 million users worldwide as of the end of 2015, including 5 million in Russia.

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