Facebook and WhatsApp to be probed by Russia to see if they are following local laws regarding data storage

Russia to block access to Facebook unless it complies with legislation requiring websites which store the personal data of Russian citizens to do so on Russian servers.

ReutersMay 25, 2018 12:20:08 IST

Russian state telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor will check by December whether Facebook and possibly Whatsapp are complying with Russian laws, TASS news agency reported on 24 May, citing the head of the watchdog.

Facebook. Reuters.

Russia has said it would block access to Facebook unless the social network complies with legislation requiring websites which store the personal data of Russian citizens to do so on Russian servers.

“We will take a decision based on the result of these checks,” Alexander Zharov, Rokomnadzor’s chief, was quoted as saying by TASS.