WhatsApp facing $377,000 fine for refusing to localize Russian users’ data, says court

Last August WhatsApp was fined 4 mln rubles

The WhatsApp messenger may be facing a fine totally worth up to 18 mln rubles ($377,000) for refusing to localize the data of its Russian users in accordance with the country's legislation, a source in Moscow’s Justice of the Peace of Court No. 422, which received the respective administrative offense protocols, told, Qazet.az reports.

"The court received two protocols regarding WhatsApp under Part 8 and Part 9 Article 13.11 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses [‘Refusal and repeated refusal to localize information about personal data of users on the territory of the Russian Federation’]. The hearing on them has been scheduled for July 28 and September 29, 2022, respectively," the source in the court said, adding that the penalty the messenger is facing should it be found guilty on both cases totals 24 mln rubles.

Last August WhatsApp was fined 4 mln rubles ($54,040) for refusal to localize its Russian users’ data.

The law ‘On personal data’ obliges Russian and foreign companies to store personal information of Russian citizens on the country’s territory only. The localization requirement applies to foreign companies that are not physically present in Russia if their activities are aimed at the country’s territory.