OREANDA-NEWS. The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media of Russia instituted administrative proceedings against Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. The reason is that they did not provide information on meeting the requirements for localizing the databases of domestic users on servers situated on the territory of Russia within the specified time.

According to the press service of the agency, companies face a fine of 1–6 million roubles (16–95 thousand US dollars). The protocol was signed in the presence of a representative of Twitter, while there was nobody from Facebook. In accordance with the law, copies of the document will be sent to companies and court within three business days.

On January 30, the deputy head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Aleksey Volin said that the fines for Facebook and Twitter’s repeated violation of Russian legislation are more effective than blocking. According to him, “blocking can be circumvented, and a fine is to be paid, if companies operate in Russia.”