Telegram, a popular messaging platform with over 900 million subscribers, has been fined four million rubles (approximately $41,400) by a Moscow court for refusing to delete banned information in Russia.
This marks the seventh fine imposed on Telegram since the beginning of 2024 for violating Russian laws.
The court press service stated that Telegram was found guilty of committing an administrative offense for failing to “remove information when such removal is required by Russian law”. However, the court did not specify the prohibited information that led to the fine.
In August 2024, Telegram received a similar fine of four million rubles for refusing to remove false information about the Russian army’s actions in Ukraine ². This recent fine is part of a growing trend of censorship and regulatory scrutiny faced by Telegram in Russia.
Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, has been critical of Russia’s censorship laws and has refused to comply with certain requests. This stance has led to increased tensions between Telegram and Russian authorities. In fact, Durov was arrested in France in August 2024, reportedly due to his refusal to adhere to US and Western regulations.
As Telegram continues to face fines and regulatory pressure in Russia, users may experience restrictions on content and services. The company’s commitment to maintaining user privacy and security will be tested in the face of increasing censorship demands.
