According to research by anti-censorship group GreatFire, Apple has removed 60 VPNs from its Russian App Store.
The iThing maker’s action comes amid a Russian government crackdown on VPNs that has already seen it ban privacy extensions for the open-source Firefox browser. Mozilla, the software’s developer, has ignored the ban and reintroduced the extensions to its web store. In July, Apple removed at least one VPN from its Russian App Store.
According to research published by GreatFire, a site that tracks Apple censorship, Cupertino removed at least 60 VPNs between early July and September 18. The organization’s research found that 98 VPNs are currently unavailable in Russia, but did not specify whether the removals occurred in the iOS or macOS app stores.
“Apple’s quiet removal of nearly 60 VPN apps from its Russian App Store is not just disturbing, it poses a direct threat to digital freedom and privacy,” argued Benjamin Ismail, director of GreatFire’s App Censorship Project.
“By unilaterally restricting access to these critical tools without transparency or due process, Apple is aiding government censorship. We demand that Apple uphold its commitment to human rights and provide a clear explanation for these actions.”
“The fact that nearly 100 VPN apps are now unavailable on the Russian App Store highlights a disturbing trend of corporate complicity in state-sponsored censorship. VPNs are a lifeline for journalists, activists and ordinary citizens trying to access information and communicate securely,” said Evan Greer, director of digital rights group Fight for the Future.
“Apple’s actions not only undermine the privacy and safety of millions of people, but set a dangerous precedent for tech companies collaborating with authoritarian regimes. It is urgent that Apple reverses course and stands up for its users’ rights,” he told The Register.
Russian regulators have long been keen to restrict the use of privacy software, and have toughened their stance since the country’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
In March, a law came into force making it illegal to promote VPN software within Putin’s territory.
The Russian government does not want its citizens to have access to outside perspectives on the illegal war in Ukraine, which can be found on services like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X, all of which are inaccessible from inside Russia unless you use a VPN.
Russia hasn’t been too friendly towards Apple either: Last year, the Kremlin banned its employees from owning iPhones, but that’s not a problem for President Putin, who is famously averse to using a mobile phone. Over the past few years, Apple has had to pay tens of millions of dollars in fines for anti-competitive behavior.
Apple had not commented at the time of publication.
