The Russian government is asking 13 foreign tech companies to establish a physical presence in the country by the end of 2021. Russia is targeting mainly American tech companies, including Apple, and says that if the companies do not comply, they will face restrictions and possible bans.
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The Russian state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, issued the request on Monday, and stressed that 13 foreign companies should be officially represented on Russian territory by the end of 2021.
Other US tech companies that have been asked to comply with Russia's request include Google, Facebook and Twitter. TikTok and Telegram are also on the list .
On July 1, a new law in Russia. According to it, large social media companies (those with more than 500,000 daily users) must open offices in Russia.
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However, according to Karen Kazaryan, head of the Internet Research Institute, it is unclear what kind of representation or presence the new law dictates.
“There is no explanation in the law, no clarification on what the legal form of the company’s representation should be,” Kazaryan told Reuters on Tuesday.
On the other hand, non-compliance with the law could lead to restrictions on advertising, data collection or money transfer. There may also be permanent bans.
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The only clarification given by the Russian regulator was:
“In addition to representation/presence in Russia, companies must open an account on the regulator's website and have a feedback form for interaction with Russian users“.
In addition, Roskomnadzor said that foreign entities are required to restrict access to information that violates Russian law, without providing further details.
Source: Reuters
