MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Moscow court fined United Parcel Service 1 million roubles ($18,900) on Tuesday for an alleged refusal to localise the data of Russian users on Russian territory, the TASS news agency reported.The fine is one of several expected to be handed to foreign companies on Tuesday.
A Moscow court said it had fined video streaming service Twitch, social network Pinterest and United Parcel Service in three of several cases expected on Tuesday over alleged refusal by foreign companies to store Russian citizens’ personal data in Russia.
Moscow has clashed with Big Tech over content, censorship, data and local representation in a simmering dispute that has erupted into a full-on information battle since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor in late May opened administrative cases against Alphabet Inc’s Google and six other foreign technology companies, including Amazon-owned Twitch, Pinterest and UPS, for alleged violations of personal data legislation.
The Moscow courts’ press service said Twitch had been found guilty by the Tagansky District Court of violating Russian personal data legislation and fined 2 million roubles ($37,700). Pinterest was also fined 2 million roubles, news agencies reported, and UPS 1 million roubles.