In Moscow, a district court decision linked to the Tagansky court has levied a substantial administrative fine against the popular messaging service WhatsApp. The ruling, reported by DEA News, cites an amount of 3 million rubles for failing to remove certain references and information related to Lyrica from the application.
According to the court, WhatsApp LLC was found in violation of Part 2 of Article 13.41 of the Administrative Code of Russia. The presiding judge, Timur Vakhrameev, issued the administrative fine for alleged violations surrounding the non-deletion of prohibited content. The proceedings note that the protocol addressing the failure to delete prohibited information originated with the communications practices associated with the American parent company Meta, historically described in various reports as having faced restrictions within Russia.
Pregabalin, marketed under the brand name Lyrica, has at times drawn attention for its use outside prescribed medical channels. The substance is linked in some reports to misuse, including among opioid-dependent individuals. The Russian health and regulatory landscape has evolved over the years, with changes in prescription controls and distribution rules for pregabalin and related compounds. Historical context shows that, beginning in 2015, certain regulations were introduced to govern the prescription and distribution of pregabalin and related agents within the country.
Past court actions also addressed data localization requirements. Earlier, WhatsApp faced penalties related to the localization of user data within Russia. A notable decision occurred in July 2022, when a Moscow court imposed a fine of 18 million rubles on the messaging service over repeated refusals to localize user data on servers located inside the country. The interplay between content moderation obligations and data localization rules has been a recurring theme in regulatory actions involving digital platforms operating in Russia.
These developments illustrate how enforcement of content and data policies can intersect with the operations of multinational technology services. The case against WhatsApp underscores the heightened scrutiny placed on platforms to comply with local regulations governing information deletion, user data storage, and regulatory disclosures. Observers note that the outcome of such cases can influence how global apps adjust their content management and data handling practices in the Russian market, as well as how they communicate compliance to users in different regions.