MOSCOW, July 24 (RIA Novosti) – Tech giant Google is ready to cooperate with Russia in investigating alleged Russian user-data leaks through western Internet companies, a senator in Russia’s upper house of parliament said on Wednesday.
Lawmaker Ruslan Gattarov, who chairs the commission on the information society development in the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, said a meeting with Google representatives could take place Thursday, adding he was satisfied that “the company’s representatives are ready for constructive cooperation with the Federation Council’s working group and have proposed holding a meeting.”
Gattarov wrote last Thursday to the Prosecutor General’s Office and the state communications watchdog with a request to verify how well Google’s user agreements complied with personal data protection legislation.
Gattarov’s request comes at a time of global public concern about Internet companies sharing user data with US government agencies, after former CIA technician Edward Snowden leaked details in June of the Prism data collection program, which allegedly monitored Americans' phone and electronic correspondence, and which he claimed gave the US security services direct access to the servers of major Internet companies.
“Google is requesting a meeting [of the Federation Council’s working group] with Google Vice President for Southern and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa Operations Carlo d’Asaro Biondo who is responsible for the company’s strategic business development,” says a letter sent by Google to Gattarov and obtained by RIA Novosti.
This meeting should discuss the prospects for Google’s projects in Russia in compliance with the Russian information and technological sector's priority programs and development tasks, the letter said.
“The Russian market is a priority for Google and Mr. Biondo would also like to discuss the questions which have emerged for you [Gattarov] related to the company’s services. We are ready for constructive dialog with the Federation Council and would like to remove possible misunderstanding from both sides,” the letter said.
Gattarov earlier called for an international inquiry into reports that companies including Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter provide the US special services with direct access to their user data.
Russia is the largest Internet market in Europe, The Next Web reported in April.
