Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli PM Office: Netanyahu has ordered that the Rafah crossing will not open until further notice.
Ambrey: Cameroon-flagged tanker issues distress call following explosion abroad, approximately 60NM south of Yemen's Ahwar.
Araghchi: Iran adopted a constructive approach in its engagement to ensure the European Union and the E3 fully honored their commitments and lifted all sanctions.
Araghchi: After a year of Iran’s full compliance with the agreement, it began implementing gradual, proportionate, and reversible compensatory steps in accordance with its recognized rights under the deal.
Araghchi: Iran demonstrated the utmost restraint in the face of repeated and fundamental violations and made extensive efforts to restore balance and preserve the agreement.
In his letter, Araghchi stated: The E3 failed to fulfill their obligations and instead imposed additional illegal sanctions on Iranian individuals and institutions.
Araghchi: These coercive measures constituted a grave violation of international law and the UN Charter, causing severe disruption in the implementation of the agreement.
Araghchi: Washington initially refrained from fulfilling its commitments, then withdrew from the agreement, reimposed its illegal and unilateral sanctions, and even expanded them.
Araghchi: UN Security Council Resolution 2231 has expired and fully ceased to be in effect as of today, in accordance with its explicit provisions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry: Reimposing sanctions on Iran is illegal

Russia fines WhatsApp, Snapchat, & others over data storage violations

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 28 Jul 2022 17:31
3 Min Read

Moscow has previously fined big tech companies over content, censorship, data, and local representation at the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine.

  • x
  • Moscow has previously fined big tech companies.
    Moscow has previously fined big tech companies.

A Russian court fined WhatsApp, Snapchat, and other foreign firms for refusing to store Russian users' data domestically.

Moscow has previously fined big tech companies over content, censorship, data, and local representation since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine.

Last August, the court ruled that social media giants Twitter and Facebook have to pay 17 million rubles ($227,882) and 15 million rubles ($201,072) respectively for repeated violations of the law, which requires that data on Russian users be stored in Russia. It also for the first time penalized messaging app WhatsApp – owned by Facebook – for 4 million rubles ($53,619) for the same offense.

Russian laws ‘on personal data’ obliges national and foreign companies to store personal information of Russian citizens on the country’s territory only. This also applies to foreign companies that are not physically present in Russia.

Moscow's Tagansky District Court fined WhatsApp 18 million rubles ($301,255) for a repeat offense. WhatsApp's fine exceeded the 15 million rouble penalty handed to Alphabet Inc's GOOGL.O Google for a repeat infringement last month.

Read next: Russia fines Google $264,000 for storing users' data in US, Europe

Related News

US court bars NSO Group from using spyware on WhatsApp

TikTok influencers fueling market for unlicensed weight-loss drugs

Tinder owner Match Group was fined 2 million rubles, Snap and Hotels.com, owned by Expedia Group Inc EXPE.O, were fined 1 million rubles, and music streaming service Spotify SPOT.N was fined 500,000 rubles.

It is worth noting that Spotify closed its Russian office in March and abruptly ceased operations in the country. 

According to the RIA news agency, a lawyer for Hotels.com stated that the company did not recognize the charge as an offense, claiming that the company had stopped processing data from Russian users since April 1.

Soon after the war in Ukraine began, Russia restricted access to Meta's flagship platforms Facebook and Instagram, as well as fellow social network Twitter.

Read more: Anti-Russian propaganda bombards internet users

This came after Meta permitted its users to incite violence against the Russians and Russian soldiers on its social media platforms in light of Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine.

Amid the wave of anti-Russian narrative spewing from the West, YouTube blocked Russian news outlets, such as RT and Sputnik, globally, and later, Moscow accused it of spreading threats against Russian citizens.

Read more: Russian Embassy: Meta must be held accountable for allowing calls for violence

  • Russia
  • Whatsapp
  • Meta
  • war in Ukraine

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Residents remove debris from a house damaged by Wednesday's two drone strikes, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Afghanistan-Pakistan negotiations to begin in Doha: Exclusive

Palestine Action wins court fight to challenge UK terror ban
Politics

Palestine Action wins court fight to challenge UK 'terror' ban

John Bolton surrenders after classified documents indictment
Politics

John Bolton turns himself in after classified documents indictment

GSF, GMTG slams EU over complicity in Gaza genocide
Politics

GSF, GMTG slam EU over complicity in crimes against Palestinians

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS