Twitter fined $46 in Russia but could face being blocked for non-compliance with country’s law

Twitter has been fined $46 for refusing to disclose information requested by Russian officials. While the fine is miniscule, further non-compliance with the country’s law could lead to the social media giant being blocked.

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The fine has been imposed amid an ongoing standoff between several social media platforms and the Russian media watchdog, Roscomnadzor. Last December, the regulator ordered Facebook and Twitter to disclose the location of servers that store the personal data of Russian citizens. According to the laws of the country, this data must be stored locally and not overseas.

According to Roscomnadzor, neither company has provided a “concrete answer” to its question, and an administrative case against them has been filed.

On Friday, a Moscow court fined Twitter 3,000 rubles (around $46) for its failure to disclose information to the country’s government. The fine is the lowest possible for such an offence, although the upper limit of such penalties is still only 5,000 rubles ($76).

A similar administrative case against Facebook has been delayed due to its representatives failing to appear in court, causing hearings to be postponed.

While the tiny fine imposed on Twitter won’t trouble such a large company, its further refusal to comply with Russian law could result in much more serious repercussions. If a social media platform does not operate in accordance with the law on personal data protection, it can face heavy fines and ultimately be blocked in Russia if it refuses to amend its practices.

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