"We will inspect Facebook this year," Alexander Zharov told Russia’s Izvestia newspaper. "Depending on the findings, we may fine the company or request legal documents about their plans to comply with Russian laws."
The watchdog is concerned that the US-based social media giant is not storing Russian users’ data locally or acts fast enough to delete illegal content. There are no plans yet to block the website in Russia, Zharov stressed.
The warning comes after Roskomnadzor began last month to block a popular messaging app, Telegram, for its refusal to hand over encryption keys. Zharov argued this was a lengthy process as the agency worked on new methods to cut the app off, with mixed results.
