Yandex erases links to website Smart Voting from search results

MOSCOW, Sep 7 (PRIME) -- Russian Internet company Yandex has deleted links to website Smart Voting from search results after it was put on the list of banned resources by the communications service, a company spokesperson told PRIME on Tuesday.

“According to the law of the Russian Federation, search systems must exclude links to the websites and their ‘mirrors’ as soon as the communications service adds them to the register. Synchronization with the register is automatic,” the spokesperson said.

The communications watchdog limited on Monday access to website Smart Voting as it was used to maintain the activities of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which is banned in the country.

The Moscow Arbitration Court earlier forbade Yandex and Google’s search systems to show results of the “smart voting” search. The court sided with Stavropol-based wool company Woolintertrade that went to court to protect its exclusive rights to trademark “Smart Voting” it registered. These are temporary actions, and the court will consider the lawsuits in November.

Yandex disagreed with the court’s decision and said it would challenge it.

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