The Russian regulator Roskomnadzor considers fines to be the most effective measure in influencing Google and Facebook.
Quoted by Kommersant, its head Andrey Lipov said that in imposing restrictions on social networks and other internet platforms it is necessary to correlate the amount of harm with the amount of benefit.
However, if the threats coming from social networks exceed their benefits more radical measures will have to be applied to them.
Such measures have already been placed on Twitter.
Google and Facebook have been fined R6 million (€66,742) and R26 million for failing to delete prohibited information.
Roskomnadzor has also been reported as saying that Facebook, Twitter and other social networks must have databases of Russian users on Russian territory by July 1 or face fines of up to R18 million.
