Russia's media censor, Roskomnadzor, says Twitter has agreed to the transfer its Russian users' data to Russian servers by mid-2018.
In a press statement, Roskomnadzor said the agency's chief, Alexander Zharov, has received confirmation from Twitter communications head Sinead McSweeney that the company is currently “in the process of determining what information about Russian citizens and organizations in commercial relations with Twitter in Russia can be stored in the Russian Federation."
McSweeney's letter reportedly states that Twitter "will be able to send this data to Russia by mid-2018 and notify [Roskomnadzor] about it by that time."
In September 2015, Russia passed a law that requires Internet companies to store Russian users' personal data on localized servers. In November last year, the business social network LinkedIn was accused of violating this law and was subsequently blocked in Russia.
Twitter refused to comment on these plans to The Moscow Times.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.