Roskomnadzor notes cooperation with foreign social networks in framework of counter-extremism law
MOSCOW. April 28 (Interfax) - Social networks, including foreign ones, react adequately to the demand by the Russian Federal Service for Supervision in Telecom, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (Roskomnadzor) to delete content, which meets the definition of extremism, Roskomnadzor Deputy Head Maxim Ksenzov said when speaking at a Roskomnadzor board meeting.
"Major resources, social networks are reacting quite objectively [to Roskomnadzor's demand]," Ksenzov said. Illegal content is deleted "within several hours" and this does not lead to blocking the websites, he said.
"Cooperation exists with foreign social networks - talks have been held with Facebook and Twitter," Ksenzov said.
The new law operating in Russia since 2014 foresees the possibility of blocking, upon the request of the Prosecutor General's Office, internet resources where extremist statements or appeals for unsanctioned rallies are posted. Throughout this period Roskomnadzor received 42 demands from the prosecutor's office, 99 websites remain blocked, while 114 have been unblocked, which means illegal content was deleted from them.
"We will have new initiatives in regulating the internet this year," Ksenzov said when addressing heads of Roskomnadzor territorial offices present at the meeting. Competence in the internet should be enhanced, more people should be hired and trained and cooperation should be established with regional non-governmental organizations operating in the internet, he said.
Employees should deepen cooperation with the prosecutor's office "especially amid the latest political events," Ksenzov said.