On July 4, US Independence Day, Apple has blocked 25 VPN programs in the Russian version of the App Store. This means that iPhone and iPad users in the Russian Federation can no longer install or update these VPN apps. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) encrypt data traffic and serve for data protection and data security on the one hand, and also to circumvent censorship on the Internet on the other. Apple has cited an order from the Russian Internet supervisory and censorship authority Roskomnadzor as the reason for the ban, along with the App Store terms and conditions, which require compliance with all rules in force in the respective country.
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Ladder joke: The authority is relying on a law passed in 2006 that was aimed at strengthening IT security and data protection – the main application for VPNs. The law also provides for a censorship register that aims to combat websites in three categories: calls and instructions for suicide, the production and purchase of illegal drugs, and pornographic images of minors or invitations to create them. However, in the past few years, many sources of information that are not dedicated to any of these topics have joined the index; the authority has repeatedly banned VPN applications, even though the law requires only entries containing “domain names and/or URLs of Internet sites” for the blacklist.
Since 2018, VPN providers have been reporting repeated attempts by Russian authorities to disrupt the operation of services. In the wake of the Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin tightened its censorship even further. Since then, not only some VPN programs, but the VPN protocols themselves have been on the list of banned “websites and/or URLs.” To increase pressure on citizens who want to receive free information and exchange information without surveillance, the censorship authority decided to establish a national GeoIP database earlier this year; she wants to be able to determine the location of any Russian IP address at any time. Advertising for VPN services was banned in March.
VPN providers affected by the App Store block have three months to fight the censorship order in Russian courts. Provider Le VPN might also want to give it a try. Chances are modest due to the lack of an independent judiciary in the Russian Federation. Provider Red Shield, which was also affected, took legal action in Russia in 2018 and – surprisingly – failed. In early 2020, the company turned to the European Court of Human Rights, where the case is still pending (Private Network LP v. RussiaReference 4945/20).
Apple’s letter to operators of blocked VPN apps
(Image: Apple)
Petition to Apple
Along with other VPN operators, Le VPN has sent a message to Apple, its boss Tim Cook, and the US Congress Petition titled “Apple helps Putin censorship” Wait. “We urge members of the US Congress to pay attention to Apple’s open support of Putin’s censorship,” the text of the petition says. “We demand that Apple stop supporting Putin and his regime in suppressing free speech in Russia and bring back blocked VPN services on the Russian App Store.” However, to do this, Apple will have to circumvent Roskomnadzor’s orders.
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Apple has stopped exporting hardware to the Russian Federation. However, the company continues to support devices that are already in circulation and are grey imported goods. The Apple Pay payment service has since been restricted; some live data is no longer available in Apple Maps, but is on the App Store.
(DS)
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