Microsoft-controlled social network LinkedIn failed to agree with the Russian authorities on lifting the ban, introduced in November 2016 for violating the law on the storage of personal data of Russian citizens on the territory of the country. LinkedIn has registered about 5 million users from Russia.

LinkedIn refused to comply with the requirement to localize the bases with personal data of Russian citizens on the territory of the Russian Federation, Roskomnadzor said. The Office received a letter from the vice president of the international public policy LinkedIn Corporation Pablo L. Chavez, which said that the company was not ready to eliminate violations of the Russian law. Thus, the company confirmed "its lack of interest in working in the Russian market," the ministry said.

Roskomnadzor added LinkedIn Corporation to the register of violators of the rights of subjects of personal data in mid-November 2016. Earlier in August, the Tagansky District Court of Moscow satisfied the Roskomnadzor's lawsuit against LinkedIn in defense of the rights of an unlimited number of personal data subjects. On November 10, the Moscow City Court upheld the decision of the first instance court. Thus, the court upheld the position of Roskomnadzor, confirming the failure of the social network to comply with the law "On Personal Data"; in particular, the requirement to localize servers with user data on the territory of Russia and regulations on the storage and processing of data of third parties who are not users of the social network (see Kommersant dated October 26).

At the same time, the company is confident that it operates in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation. "We met with Roskomnadzor in December to discuss the requirements of the law for localization. Despite our negotiations, we still have not found understanding with Roskomnadzor, which would lead to the removal of the ban and would allow us to again provide service to users from Russia. This means that LinkedIn will continue to be blocked in the Russian Federation," Interfax quotes Eriel Ekstin, Vice President of LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is the world's largest social network for establishing business links and job search. As of 2015, the total number of registered participants in the network exceeded 400 million people, of which 5 million registrations were made in the Russian segment. In December, Microsoft announced the closure of the deal to buy LinkedIn Corporation for $26.2 billion.