Putin Threatens To Block Foreign Social Media In Russia, What's The Reason?

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, plans to block social media that refuses to open an office in Russia. (photo credit: kremlin.ru)

JAKARTA - President Vladimir Putin has signed a law requiring foreign social media giants to open offices in Russia, a document published by the government on Thursday confirmed, the latest move by Moscow to exert greater control over Big Tech.

Russian authorities appear interested in strengthening their control over the internet and reducing their dependence on foreign companies and countries.

In particular, they have in the past objected to Kremlin political opponents using foreign social media platforms to organize what they call illegal demonstrations and to publicize politically nuanced investigations into alleged corruption.

Moscow has fined the company for failing to remove content deemed illegal. They even slowed down Twitter speed as a punishment. On Wednesday 30 June they opened a new case against Alphabet subsidiary Google for violating personal data laws.

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, June 30 that Russia had no plans to block foreign social media sites. But he hopes on Russian social networks to provide opportunities for creative and talented people to thrive.

"We do not intend to block anyone. We want to work with them. But there is a problem, which lies in the fact that they send us away when they do not comply with our demands and Russian law", Putin said in a question-and-answer session broadcast by state television. broadcast live.

About 600 foreign companies have localized data in Russia, a list that Roskomnadzor previously said included Apple, Samsung, and PayPal.

Microsoft's LinkedIn was blocked in Russia after a court found they violated data retention rules, which were passed in 2015/ The rules require that all data about Russian citizens be stored in the country.

"A foreign entity, conducting activities on the internet in Russia, is obliged to establish a branch, open an office or establish a Russian legal entity", the new law announced.

Alexander Khinshtein, head of information policy and IT committee at the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, explained that the law applies to internet giants with a daily audience in Russia of no less than 500,000 people.

The company must register a personal account on the website of Roskomnadzor, Russia's state communications regulator, he announced on his Telegram channel. Companies that violate the law can face penalties such as advertising bans.

Russia has been chasing social media giants that failed to remove content Moscow deems illegal fast enough. Facebook, Google, Telegram, and Twitter all have court hearings scheduled for later this month on new charges.

The new law could potentially affect 20 companies, including retailers and e-commerce companies.