Russia to fine social networks for luring minors into unauthorized protests

Russia will bring social networks to responsibility for enticing minors into illegal activities, Russian Federal Service for Supervision in Information Technologies and Mass Communications said in its statement, published Wednesday.

“Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, VK, OK social networks and YouTube video hosting website will be fined for failure to comply with the demand to remove calls on minors to participate in January 23 unauthorized rallies,” the statement says.

The above mentioned platforms failed to remove a total of 170 illegal calls despite the demands from the Federal Service and the Prosecutor General’s Office, the statement says.

The agency reminded that violation of restriction of access to illegal information carries a fine between 800,000 and 4 million rubles.

“We ask the management of Internet platforms to refrain from disseminating calls for participation in unauthorized public events,” the Service added.

On January 23, unauthorized rallies in support of blogger Alexey Navalny took place in Moscow and other major cities. The police and the Prosecutor General’s Office warned that participation in such events is an administrative offence that carries penalties. According to TASS sources, 42 police officers were injured during the protests, as well as a number of protesters. Ahead of the rallies, videos were spreading among minors in social networks that called for participation in unauthorized rallies.

Source: Tass