In Rostov Region, Ministry of Communications recommends officials not to use Google services

German Lopatkin, Minister of Information Technologies and Communications of the Rostov Region, has sent to the heads of regional municipalities the document instructed the officials not to use foreign websites as Internet search engines.

The recommendation document issued by German Lopatkin appeared to be at the disposal of oppositionist Alexei Navalny, well-known for his active fight against corruption, including in the regions of Northern Caucasus. Alexei Navalny has scanned the letter and posted it on his online diary on "Live Journal".

"To implement the information security policy of the Russian Federation, hereby I inform you about the undesirability to use services of foreign Internet companies, in particular, the company 'Google'," German Lopatkin has emphasized in his recommendation.

The Minister recommended civil servants to avoid using foreign internet services "in the programmes of general, secondary and higher education", "in the creation of map and travel products" and "other areas of the state and municipal regulation."

In his turn, German Lopatkin told the "Caucasian Knot" that the letter does not ban the use of foreign websites and it is purely advisory in its nature.