Russia fines Alphabet's Google $387 million for content violations
July 18, 2022, 3:49 pm

Russia fines Alphabet's Google $387 million for content violations

Russia fines Alphabet's Google 21.8 billion rubles ($387 million) for content violations - Photo. Pixabay

The Interfax news agency reported that Alphabet's Google was fined 21.8 billion roubles ($387 million) on Monday (July 18) by a Russian court for a repeated failure to remove content that Moscow deems illegal.

Russia has long objected to foreign tech platforms' distribution of content that breaks its restrictions, but what has been a simmering conflict has erupted into full-blown battle since Moscow assembled its armed forces before sending them to Ukraine in February, the Anews reported, citing Reuters.

Late last year, Google was fined 7.2 billion roubles for failing to remove or block content, according to the report.

Its Russian unit's bank account has been seized, prompting the subsidiary to file for bankruptcy and making it impossible to pay staff and vendors.

Google, which may appeal the ruling, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

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Communications organization Roskomnadzor said in June that Alphabet's YouTube video platform was deliberately spreading false information about the conflict in Ukraine, allowing content promoting extremist views and calls for children to participate in unauthorized protests.

Roskomnadzor said: "The video hosting site YouTube deliberately promotes the dissemination of misleading information about the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine, discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation.”

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Russia says it is conducting a "special military operation" in Ukraine to defuse a threat to its security and protect Russian speakers from persecution.

It should be noted that Ukraine and its Western allies dismiss such allegations as baseless pretexts for an illegal land grab.

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”