Russia to Ban Access to LinkedIn Due to Personal Data Concerns

Russia is planning to block access to the social networking site LinkedIn “within days” for failing to move its personal data storage to Russia.

This will be the first time the country has invoked its ban on foreign internet companies storing citizens’ personal data on servers outside of Russia. “The access will be shut within days,” a spokesman forRussia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said, according to Bloomberg. “LinkedIn failed to provide documents on moving personal databases to Russia.”

A statement from LinkedIn says the social network is trying to change the Russian court’s decision. “LinkedIn’s vision is to create economic opportunity for the entire global workforce,” it reads. “The Russian court’s decision has the potential to deny access to LinkedIn for the millions of members we have in Russia and the companies that use LinkedIn to grow their businesses.

“We have today again requested a meeting with Roskomnadzor to discuss their data localization request and we understand they are reviewing this proposal at the present time.”

According to Roskomnadzor, services including Google, EBay, Booking.com and Uber have taken steps to move personal data storage to the country, Bloomberg reports.