Russia fines Telegram, Viber for refusing to remove 32 fake news channels about the conflict

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A Moscow court fined the messaging app Telegram 4 million rubles ($47,520) on June 20 for refusing to remove 32 channels that reported false and misleading information about Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. The messaging app’s parent company also refused to remove certain channels through which users were scammed and blackmailed.

On the same day, the court also fined messaging app Viber 1 million rubles (about 11,880 USD) on similar charges.

In recent years, Russia has frequently fined foreign technology companies for failing to comply with its laws.

Most recently, on June 6, a court in this country fined the Wikimedia Foundation, the owner of Wikipedia, 3 million rubles for refusing to remove an article about Ukraine's Azov Battalion, which has been outlawed by Russia.

On June 1, a Russian court fined messaging service WhatsApp, owned by its parent company Meta Platforms, 3 million rubles for failing to remove banned content. This is the first time the app has been fined in Russia for such a violation.

Earlier this year, the Tagansky District Court in Moscow (Russia) fined live streaming service Twitch 4 million rubles, equivalent to 57,000 USD, for posting false information about Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

According to VietnamPlus

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