Russian Communications Watchdog Has No Plans to Block Facebook - Putin's Adviser

Russian presidential adviser on the Internet development refuted the previous statement of Roskomnadzor's plans to block Facebook.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor has no plans to block Facebook in Russia, Russian presidential adviser on the development of the Internet, German Klimenko, told Sputnik on Tuesday.

“In reality, these are two different events and the colleagues from Roskomnadzor are not planning to shut Facebook down. I called them and asked,” Klimenko said.

Earlier in the day, Roskomnadzor chief Alexander Zharov said that Facebook would be blocked in Russia if it failed to comply with the law on storing personal data of Russians in the country. According to Zharov, the watchdog is not planning any checks of the social media website in 2017 and will consider them in 2018.

The Russian law on personal data storage entered into force on September 1, 2015. It mandates that personal information that is collected about Russian citizens must be stored within the country. According to it, the websites of those who violate this law are subject to being blocked by Roscomnadzor. Last year it happened to the business networking site LinkedIn. Previously, Zhukov had stated that the social media platforms of several major transnational companies (Google, Apple, Twitter and Facebook) had fulfilled their obligations under the law.