Russia Fines Google For Failing To Remove Videos Promoting LGBT And False Information

JAKARTA - A Russian court fined Google, Alphabet's subsidiary, last Thursday for failing to remove YouTube videos suspected of promoting "LGBT propaganda" and "false information" about Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, the Russian news agency reported.

In the past year, Moscow has imposed dozens of fines on Western tech companies as part of efforts to increase controls over what Russian internet users are seeing online.

In addition to implementing strict censorship laws after sending troops to Ukraine, Russia also strengthened its laws against what it called "LGBT propaganda promotion" last year.

Under the new law, which widens Russia's interpretation of what is considered an "LGBT propaganda" and has been criticized by independent human rights groups, any action or dissemination of information deemed an attempt to promote homosexuality in society, online, or in films, books, or advertising, could be subject to heavy fines.

Russian prosecutors say that Google has refused to remove several videos posted on YouTube, including one of a blogger who is considered a "foreign agent" by Moscow about how same-sex couples raise children and about the LGBT community in St. Petersburg, according to a TASS report.

A Google subsidiary in Russia filed for bankruptcy last year after authorities took over its bank account following a fine of 7.2 billion rubles (Rp1.3 trillion) in December 2021 over what Russian authorities have called the company's "repetitive failure" in removing content.