Apple and Google Remove Voting App in Russia

Tech Giants Yield to Russian Pressure, Remove Voting App

Apple and Google have both taken down a tactical voting application from their app stores in Russia. This app was developed by the organization linked to Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of the Kremlin who is currently imprisoned.

Escalating Pressure from Moscow

Reports from Reuters earlier this week indicated that the Russian government was increasing pressure on major technology companies. The state framed its demands as preventing “election interference,” effectively seeking to censor a key political opponent of President Putin.

Ivan Zhdanov, a close ally of Navalny, announced via Twitter that his organization is contemplating legal action against both Apple and Google. He characterized the app removals as a significant act of censorship.

Apple's Justification for Removal

Zhdanov also shared what he claims is Apple’s official response. The tech company cited the Kremlin’s designation of several pro-Navalny organizations as “extremist” groups as the reason for removing the software.

Compliance with Local Laws

Both Apple and Google consistently state their adherence to “all local laws” within the countries where they operate. However, this policy has resulted in their complicity in political censorship within Russia.

Apple’s takedown notification explicitly mentions that the Russian Prosecutor’s Office determined the app violated Russian legislation by potentially interfering with elections.

The notification also clarifies that while the app is no longer available on the Russia App Store, it remains accessible in other regions where it was previously offered.

Continued Advocacy for Tactical Voting

Zhdanov, through Twitter, encouraged supporters to maintain focus on the tactical voting initiative. He shared a link to a YouTube video – hosted on Google’s platform – providing guidance to Russian citizens on how to cast an anti-Putin vote during the ongoing parliamentary elections.

The Tactical Voting Strategy

Navalny’s supporters aim to mobilize voters across Russia to strategically cast ballots. The goal is to unseat Putin’s party, United Russia, by supporting whichever candidate has the strongest chance of winning against the ruling party.

This strategy has faced some scrutiny, as several suggested alternatives offer only limited opposition to Putin’s regime.

Supporters acknowledge they are operating within a flawed political system.

Previous Attempts at Blocking Access

After initially resisting the removal of Navalny’s “Smart Voting” app, the Russian government began attempting to block access to his organization’s website last month.

Threats of Fines and Regulation

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, threatened Apple and Google with fines if they didn’t remove the Smart Voting app. Failure to comply, they warned, could be seen as election meddling.

Russian media also reported that both companies were summoned to a meeting at the Federation Council on the eve of the election. Putin’s government sought to compel them to act against their principles.

According to a report by Kommersant, the tech companies were warned that Russia was preparing to tighten regulations on their businesses. They were urged to “come to their senses” and were cautioned they were approaching a “red line.”

VPNs and Search Results Targeted

In recent weeks, Roskomnadzor has also been removing VPN applications from the country. This action makes it more difficult for Russians to bypass the ban on Navalny’s app by accessing it through app stores in other countries.

Yandex, Russia’s leading search engine, has reportedly been instructed not to display search results for the Smart Voting app.

Previous Actions Against Twitter

Earlier this year, Putin’s government also targeted Twitter, throttling the service for failing to remove content deemed undesirable. Roskomnadzor claimed the action was related to non-political issues like suicide and child exploitation.