S&T | Linkedin to be blocked in Russia

Russia's Roskomnadzor, communication watchdog said that LinkedIn has flouted the new law by refusing to relocate the personal information of some 6 million Russian users into the country.

Various Sources

Image Attribute: Linkedin T-shirt / Creative Commons

The world's largest professional social networking site LinkedIn is going to be blocked in Russia “within days” for refusing to store user’s data within the country. 

As per the Federal Law No. 242-FZ -  “On making amendments to certain laws of the Russian Federation regarding clarification of the order of processing of personal data in information and telecommunication networks” (“Law No. 242”), which came into force on July 21, 2014 and adopted on September 1, 2015 a year later.

This new Russian law demands from foreign-based Internet companies to operate data centers in-country, and a significant number of firms have taken necessary steps to comply with the new regulations. 

In April 2015,  Russia’s state-controlled telecommunications company Rostelecom informed the government that Google Inc. has moved some servers to Russia to comply with a controversial law requiring Internet companies to store Russians’ personal data within the country’s borders. 

Moscow’s Tagansky District Court ruled in August 2016 that LinkedIn’s site should be blocked, but the decision had not yet come into force pending a company appeal.

“The decision of the Tagansky District Court has been upheld, the appeal by LinkedIn Corporation is unsatisfactory,” Interfax quoted a court decision as saying.

The Law No. 242-FZ was introduced with significant amendments into the following Federal Laws of the Russian Federation: 

• Federal Law No. 149-FZ “On Information, Information Technologies and on Protection of Information” dated 27 July 2006 

• Federal Law No. 152-FZ “On Personal Data” dated 27 July 2006 

• Federal Law No. 294-FZ “On Protection of Rights of Bodies Corporate and Individual Entrepreneurs during Performance of the State Monitoring (Supervision) and Municipal Monitoring” dated 26 December 2008.

To comply, Foreign-based  Internet companies need to follow the followings;

• Set up a server in Russian Federation where personal data of Russian customers must be stored.

• Include “citizenship” in the database to ensure Russian citizens can be identified.

• Monitor legal developments in the area

Russia's Roskomnadzor, communication watchdog said that LinkedIn has flouted the new law by refusing to relocate the personal information of some 6 million Russian users into the country. If indeed Russia does block LinkedIn, it will be the first time the country has acted against a foreign company as per the new law. 

Russian lawmakers suggest that their proposals aim to protect their citizens from widespread U.S. surveillance in the wake of revelations from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. But U.S. tech executives suggest motives ranging from protectionism to preserving access to data for local intelligence services.

Based on the reporting from Silicon Angle, WSJ and Hindustan Times