WhatsApp, the popular messaging service, is facing a potential fine of up to RUB 4 million (approximately Rs. 41 lakh) after being accused by Russian authorities of not removing content deemed illegal. This information was reported on Friday by the state-run news agency RIA, citing a ruling from a Moscow court.
The parent company of WhatsApp, Meta Platforms, was designated as an “extremist” organization by Russian authorities last year, resulting in a ban. However, this is the first instance where WhatsApp has come under legal scrutiny for allegedly failing to delete prohibited material.
The specific content that WhatsApp is accused of not removing has not been detailed in the RIA report. The complaint was lodged by Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications watchdog.
In response to its military actions in Ukraine, the Russian government implemented stringent military censorship regulations. These laws have led to fines imposed on various technology companies, including Google and Wikipedia, for similar infractions.
Earlier in the month, a Russian court sentenced Alphabet’s Google to a fine of RUB 3 million (close to Rs. 31 lakh) for not removing YouTube videos that were alleged to promote “LGBT propaganda” and misinformation regarding Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
In April, the Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, faced penalties for its refusal to delete content characterized as extremist. This is part of a broader initiative by Moscow to suppress independent news sources.
The Wikimedia Foundation’s Russian branch has previously expressed the belief that some fines might be contested successfully, although it anticipates that the number of citations against it could rise due to the extensive coverage of the conflict on Wikipedia.
In July of the previous year, a Moscow court imposed fines of RUB 18 million (about Rs. 24 lakhs) on WhatsApp and RUB 1 million on Snapchat following complaints by Roskomnadzor.
