Google fails to reach deal with Putin ally over YouTube lawsuit

Russia has stepped up confrontation with foreign social media and Internet companies in what it terms a campaign to uphold its digital sovereignty. It has levied fines and slowed content against companies including Google, Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc in a bid to force them to store data locally and delete posts it deems illegal. — AFP

Alphabet Inc’s Google failed to reach a settlement with a TV channel it has blocked that is owned by a sanctioned ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Tsargrad channel said in a statement on Aug 16.

Tsargrad accused Google of delaying substantive negotiations, according to the statement. Google didn’t immediately comment.