The Russian government has compelled Apple and Google to remove an app associated with jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny (via Reuters).
Voting App
The app gives people recommendations on who to for, as an attempt to thwart President Putin’s likely reelection. Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, threatened the companies with fines and criminal prosecution of local employees if the app was not removed.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow welcomed the move and that the U.S. companies had acted in the “spirit and letter of (Russian) law”.
Reuters independently verified that the app was unavailable on Apple’s AppStore and Google Play for Russian users. Previously downloaded versions of the app were not working.
Time to exit the Russian Federation market.
So pull your business out of Russia
Sure, but apple would never give in on CSAM on-device scanning abuse by govts, mhmm 🙄