Russia Fines Telegram For Refusal To Delete Banned Content

A Russian court has fined Telegram 4 million rubles, equivalent to $41,400, for refusing to delete banned content in Russia.

The court didn’t specify what information was prohibited, but this isn’t Telegram’s first fine; they received the same penalty in August for a similar offense.

As one of the world’s leading messaging platforms with approximately 900 million subscribers, Telegram holds significant influence in Russia.

Its popularity surged during the COVID-19 pandemic and after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, especially since President Vladimir Putin cracked down on independent media and blocked social platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

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Interestingly, Telegram has become a crucial source of information on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with many relying on it for updates.

The platform’s founder, Pavel Durov, emphasizes privacy and hands-off moderation, which has protected users from surveillance but also allowed misinformation and manipulation to spread.

In Russia, Telegram has become a haven for those escaping censorship, but also a platform for extremists, conspiracy theorists, and criminals.

The Russian government’s relationship with Telegram is complicated, and while they’ve tried to block the platform in the past, they now seem to be trying to control it instead.