Founder of 'Russia's Facebook' Says Security Services Demanded Ukraine Protestors' Data

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Pavel Durov of Vkontakte speaks during the Digital Life Design conference (DLD) at HVB Forum on January 24, 2012 in Munich, Germany.

Image: Nadine Rupp

By Brian Ries2014-04-16 17:22:00 -0400

The founder of the Russian social network Vkontakte (dubbed the "Russian Facebook" by Western media) says his country's Federal Security Service demanded the personal information of Ukraine's Euromaidan organizers — and he refused to hand it over.

"On December 13, 2013 the FSB demanded from us to turn over the personal data of organizers of the Euromaidan protesters," Pavel Durov wrote in a post (English translation) on his VKontakte page on Wednesday.

"Our response has been and remains a categorical refusal — Russian jurisdiction does not extend to Ukrainian users VKontakte," he wrote. "Giving personal details Ukrainians Russian authorities would not only be against the law, but also a betrayal of all those millions of people in Ukraine who have trusted us."

Durov, 29, who has been called Russia's Mark Zuckerberg, resigned from his role as Vkontakte CEO on April 1, stating changes in ownership had put pressure on the company's founding ideals, including its support of users' right to freedom of speech.

In Wednesday's note, Durov says he sold his stake, and he regrets nothing — because the protection of his users personal data was worth it.

"In the process I had to sacrifice a lot, including my shares in VKontakte," he wrote. "But I do not regret anything — protection of the personal data of people is worth it and much more. Since December 2013 I have not had property, but I still had something more important — a clean conscience and ideals that I am willing to defend."

Durov then includes two documents that show the FSB citing two laws enabling to request the personal data: Federal Laws No. 144 "On Operational and Investigative Activities" (article 9) and No. 149 "On Information, Information Technology, and Protection of Information." The documents also contain a list of the targeted protesters names.

Durov also included a picture of a dog, smiling and wearing a hoodie.

Because it's the Internet, after all.

Pavel Durov, founder of Russian social network VKontakte.com, says in a note on his page that the FSB requested personal data of Ukrainian protesters. He refused to hand it over, he says.