Russia Puts Off Data Showdown With Technology Firms

Russia is postponing a showdown with a handful of technology titans, including Facebook, over installing data centers on Russian soil, handing an interim victory to companies that have resisted the divisive new rule. Ahead of a law that goes into effect Sept 1 requiring companies to store and process data about Russian users within the country’s borders, Russian regulators have told companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter that they don’t plan to check until at least January whether the companies are in compliance, executives and Russian officials said.

The three companies have so far either told officials they won’t have new data centers on Russian soil in the immediate future or haven’t made clear whether they plan to comply, some of the executives said. Russian officials provided a reprieve when they said these companies weren’t on the list of those the Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor was planning to check before 2016.