Russia fines Telegram app $432,366 for failing to remove banned content, Ifax reports

Russia has fined the Telegram messaging app 35 million roubles ($432,366) for failing to ‌remove ⁠banned ⁠content, Russia's Interfax news agency reported on Monday.

Authorities ​have repeatedly accused Telegram, one ​of the most ⁠popular messaging ‌apps ​in ​Russia, of ⁠allowing itself to be used as ​a platform for ​illegal and extremist content.

Telegram rejects the charge and has ‌accused Russia of trying to ​throttle its ​services ⁠in order to force people to switch ​to a state-run app called MAX.