"In the spring of 2015, Roskomnadzor delivered explicit threats to Facebook, Google and Twitter, instructing them to comply with the agency’s removal requests targeting “extremist content,” or risk being fined or banned altogether. What's more, Russia has attempted to force foreign Internet companies to store Russian users’ data on Russian soil—a requirement that Twitter and other companies have thus far been able to sidestep. In November 2016, however, the professional social networking website LinkedIn was effectively blocked in Russia for violating this law. Observers interpreted this as a move intended to pressure foreign companies to begin storing data on servers inside Russia. As a consequence, platforms like Twitter appear to be walking a fine line, finding a middle ground that allows them to uphold, at least nominally, their claim to support the freedom of expression while avoiding expulsion from Russia."
- Jack Margolin, Fulbright Ukraine '16-'17, currently based in Odessa. BA from Tufts. Jack Margolin writes on human security, politics and technology in the former Soviet Union. His Twitter: @Jack_Mrgln
Source: Jack Margolin, 'Twitter Walks a Fine Line in Russia,' Global Voices, 20 February 2017 |