Benzinga | Oct 25, 2021 05:32PM EDT

Russia Penalizes Google For Retaining Banned Content: Reuters

* Alphabet Inc's (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google paid Russia over 32 million roubles ($455,079) in fines for failing to delete content Moscow deems illegal, Reuters reports.

* Russia last week said it would seek to penalize Google a percentage of its annual Russian turnover later this month for regularly failing to delete banned content on its search engine and YouTube.

* Google's representatives had expressed a desire to engage in dialogue and had paid over 32 million roubles in outstanding fines.

* Russian federal executive agency watchdog Roskomnadzor said it has the technical capability to slow down the speed of YouTube, but that administrative measures are currently sufficient.

* Around 2,650 pieces of illegal content on Google's internet resources remained undeleted as of the start of October.

* Google cited technical difficulties for failure to remove all the banned content.

* Price Action: GOOG shares closed 0.11% higher at $2,775.46 on Monday.