In compliance with a demand from Russia’s communications regulator, Apple has excised numerous VPN applications from its App Store, as reported by the creators of these VPNs.
Notably, the Russian news outlet Interfax disclosed that Apple has eliminated 25 VPN applications from the Russian App Store following a mandate from Roskomnadzor, the federal oversight entity responsible for supervising the country’s internet presence and accessibility.
Given the stringent regulation and censorship pervading the Russian internet landscape, VPNs serve as essential tools for citizens seeking to navigate around these barriers and access restricted content.
This past Monday, representatives from two VPN providers, Le VPN and Red Shield VPN, shared with TechCrunch that they received official communication from Apple regarding the removal of their services from the App Store.
AdGuard VPN also found itself among the delisted applications, as confirmed by spokesperson Ekaterina Kachalova, who indicated the company was informed of Apple’s decision on July 8. Markus Saar, CEO of Hidemy.name, relayed similar findings in a correspondence with TechCrunch.
As Red Shield VPN’s CEO and founder Vladislav Zdolnikov unveiled, a letter he received from Apple articulated that the app’s removal was necessitated by demands from Roskomnadzor due to content deemed illicit within the Russian jurisdiction, thus breaching the App Store’s Review Guidelines. Another informed source also echoed this narrative, having shared a similar letter with TechCrunch.
The crux of the letter indicated that the VPN applications contravened Russian law.
Underlining the prerequisites for applications, the letter mentioned, “Apps must adhere to all legal stipulations in the places they are made available. Should there be uncertainty, legal counsel is advisable. The onus is on you to ensure your application is consistent with local laws, over and above the guidelines provided here.”
Though the letter refrained from detailing the precise reasons behind the app deletions, it alluded to a specific article in Russia’s federal legislation authorizing Roskomnadzor’s request.
This step represents another stride in the increasingly stringent regulation over VPNs, following the government’s embargo on VPN promotions preceding the electoral period in March.
Zdolnikov expressed via email that the developers behind Red Shield VPN and other excised apps possess profound insights into Russia’s censorship frameworks, innovating ways to overcome these barriers. Despite ongoing efforts to obstruct these services, they continue to be accessible, highlighting that Apple’s actions inadvertently assisted Russian authorities more effectively.
Le VPN’s founder, Konstantin Votinov, informed TechCrunch of receiving Apple’s removal notification on July 4, pinpointing the App Store description of their app as the offending content, as flagged by Roskomnadzor. Votinov lamented the lack of an opportunity to rectify the issue, viewing this as part of a larger clampdown on VPN services, impacting upwards of 25 providers in Russia.
Following its condemnation of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine in 2022, Apple ceased its hardware exports to the country and suspended certain services, although its App Store remains operational. At the moment, Apple has not commented on the matter, and the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. has yet to respond to inquiries.
The story received an update on July 9 to integrate statements from AdGuard and hidemy.name.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
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