During 2022, Russian courts considered 49 cases for refusing to remove prohibited information on the Internet and imposed fines in the amount of 21.12 billion rubles ($259.3 million), according to statistics released on Sunday by the Legal Department of the Supreme Court of Russia, EFE reports.

Among the most fined companies was the IT giant Google, the owner of YouTube, against which 18 lawsuits were filed.

In addition, fines were also imposed on Meta, recognized as extremist in Russia for allowing the spread of hatred against that country after the start of Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine, as well as against other resources such as Wikipedia, Twitter or Twitch.

According to Vadym Subbotin, deputy director of the Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor, Google, Facebook and Twitter refused to remove about 5,500 materials containing information banned in Russia.

In total, 130 such cases were opened last year, of which 49 were considered, 3 were closed, 2 were sent for finalization of the protocols and returned to the courts, in 42 cases the courts issued verdicts.

Of them, 40 related to legal entities and 2 to civil servants.

In four cases the courts limited themselves to a warning, and in the other 38 fines were imposed.

From the total amount of fines, Russian justice received 1.508 billion rubles ($18.5 million).

Russia in December 2020 approved a law that imposes administrative liability on companies that publish prohibited information, such as child pornography, instructions for making explosives, calls for opposition protests and, most recently, the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine. (Agerpress)

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