Russia Fines Telegram and Google Over Banned Content

A Russian court has fined Telegram and Google for failing to remove banned content in the country. The Tagansky District Court in Moscow ruled on cases filed against both platforms on Wednesday, finding them non-compliant with laws requiring removal of restricted content.

The court ordered Telegram to pay 18.4 million rubles ($221,500) and Google 7.6 million rubles ($91,500) as a result of the ruling. This is not an isolated incident, as Russian authorities have previously fined other foreign internet platforms for similar reasons.

This development comes after Russia maintained an access ban on Telegram within the country. The fine amounts reflect the seriousness with which Russia views compliance with its domestic legal obligations.