A Moscow court has imposed a fine of two million rubles on Epic Games, creators of Fortnite, for failing to comply with Russian personal data legislation. The penalty, requested by Roskomnadzor, is due to the company not properly registering, systematizing, or storing the data of Russian citizens. This action aims to protect local information within the country.
Local storage as a technical requirement 🗄️
Russian law requires that the personal data of its citizens be stored on servers within the national territory. Epic Games, operating globally, did not adapt its systems to comply with this local regulation. Non-compliance implies not only the fine but also potential service blocks. For developers, implementing regional databases and complying with local audits represents an additional cost that many global companies avoid.
Dancing to dodge Russian law 💃
It seems Fortnite dances are not enough to dodge Roskomnadzor. While Russian players emote the Floss, Epic Games' lawyers attempt another type of legal choreography to justify the lack of local servers. Two million rubles is not a fortune for the company, but perhaps it will serve as a reminder that, in Russia, data stays at home, even if the battle royale is global.