The search engine had refused to remove several YouTube videos deemed illegal in Russia, which is tightening its control over foreign platforms.
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New judicial offensive by Russia against foreign platforms. A Moscow court fined Google 11 million rubles, or about 126,000 euros at the current rate, Thursday, April 21. Russian justice accuses the American giant of not having deleted content “prohibited” on the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
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Among these contents, an alleged telephone conversation between Russian soldiers and their relatives, published on YouTube. The alleged soldiers there complain of significant human losses in their ranks, according to Russian press agencies. Another video contained calls from the Ukrainian radical group Pravy Sektor to carry out attacks and acts of sabotage on Russian territory, according to the agencies. Two complaints had been filed against this content deemed illegal, in particular by the Russian telecoms policeman, Roskomnadzor.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Moscow has adopted drastic limitations on freedom of expression, with sentences of up to 15 years in prison for “lies” about its actions abroad. Google, which has closed the YouTube accounts of several Russian state media and institutions, is particularly targeted: in April, Roskomnadzor banned it from advertising in Russia. He also described his activities as “terrorist”, as were those of Twitter, Instagram and many independent media before being blocked.