Facebook has paid 17 million roubles (roughly 1.7 crore) in fines owed in Russia for failing to delete content material Moscow deems unlawful, the Interfax information company reported on Sunday, however with the specter of a probably bigger positive looming.

Facebook dad or mum Meta, together with Alphabet’s Google, faces a court docket case subsequent week for suspected repeated violations of Russian laws on content material and could possibly be fined a proportion of its annual income in Russia.

Facebook didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Sunday.

Russia in October despatched state bailiffs to implement the gathering of 17 million roubles in fines imposed on Facebook. Interfax stated there have been no extra enforcement proceedings in opposition to the corporate as of Sunday, citing the federal bailiff service’s database.

Moscow has elevated stress on massive tech companies this yr in a marketing campaign that critics characterise as an try by the Russian authorities to exert tighter management over the Internet, one thing they are saying threatens to stifle particular person and company freedom.

Interfax stated messaging app Telegram has additionally paid 15 million roubles (roughly 1.5 crore) in fines.

Telegram didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

© Thomson Reuters 2021