In this Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017 file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, visits Russia’s largest internet search engine Yandex headquarters in Moscow, Russia. Russia’s leading internet company Yandex says it’s committed to data privacy in the view of reports of official pressure. APas it responded to reports that the national intelligence agency is pressuring it into handing over encryption keys.
Arguably Russia’s most successful internet company, privately owned Yandex is vulnerable to the 2016 law that requires online companies to store all personal user data in Russia and be prepared to share it with authorities.Leading business daily RBC wrote Tuesday that Yandex has been under pressure by the intelligence agency FSB to hand over encryption keys to its email service and file hosting service.
Yandex, which runs Russia’s most popular search engine and email service, among other things, did not refute the reports, saying merely that concerns over national security should not infringe on user privacy.