Russia regulator demands answers for VK removal from the App Store
Following Apple's removal of VKontakte from the App Store, Russian regulators are saying that it will impair communications between its citizens, and are demanding answers.
Logo for Apple's App Store
VKontakte is Russia's largest social network app. Following Apple's removal of the app on September 28, Russian regulators at Roskomnadzor has taken issue with the action, calling it "discriminatory."
VK, the company behind the app, posted a statement about the matter on Monday and said other apps removed included Mail.ru, VK Music, and Youla classified. The statement says the apps will continue working on compatible devices and have only been removed from the App Store.
Still, users may experience problems with features such as notifications and payments.
After the removal, Apple said that it is complying with sanctions, imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Developers owned or controlled by these sanctioned parties were outside of Russia, and had their developer accounts terminated by Apple because they were apparently skirting the international sanctions.
Apple customers in all locations are affected by the decision, not just those in Russia.
As a report from Reuters pointed out on Wednesday, Roskomnadzor is the chief regulatory body in Russia that interfaces with US tech giants. It forced Apple to remove an opposition leader's app from the App Store, only restored after the war in Ukraine broke out.
In 2015, it also forced Apple to host iCloud data generated within Russia, in the country. Roskomnadzor has also caused problems for Telegram, Microsoft, Google, and others.
In February, Apple opened its first corporate office in Russia, and in March stopped all online sales in the country after its government's invasion of Ukraine. Sales have not yet resumed.
Read on AppleInsider
Logo for Apple's App Store
VKontakte is Russia's largest social network app. Following Apple's removal of the app on September 28, Russian regulators at Roskomnadzor has taken issue with the action, calling it "discriminatory."
VK, the company behind the app, posted a statement about the matter on Monday and said other apps removed included Mail.ru, VK Music, and Youla classified. The statement says the apps will continue working on compatible devices and have only been removed from the App Store.
Still, users may experience problems with features such as notifications and payments.
After the removal, Apple said that it is complying with sanctions, imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Developers owned or controlled by these sanctioned parties were outside of Russia, and had their developer accounts terminated by Apple because they were apparently skirting the international sanctions.
Apple customers in all locations are affected by the decision, not just those in Russia.
As a report from Reuters pointed out on Wednesday, Roskomnadzor is the chief regulatory body in Russia that interfaces with US tech giants. It forced Apple to remove an opposition leader's app from the App Store, only restored after the war in Ukraine broke out.
In 2015, it also forced Apple to host iCloud data generated within Russia, in the country. Roskomnadzor has also caused problems for Telegram, Microsoft, Google, and others.
In February, Apple opened its first corporate office in Russia, and in March stopped all online sales in the country after its government's invasion of Ukraine. Sales have not yet resumed.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Finally Apple shows it has a least one testicle. Russia should be treated as the international pariah it has become. And those who ignore the sanctions should expect no quarter given. Screw those developers skirting the sanctions. Putin is a repeat of Hitler. He thinks the West will give in and is weak. Hitler called the western democracies “dirty worms” who would not oppose him. Putin thinks the same. Who knows, maybe the West will give in to him. Maybe the West is weak and unwilling to fight, ready to appease. China is watching and the fate of Taiwan hangs in the balance. If Putin wins China gets a clear signal they can take Taiwan without a fight, even if Biden says we will.
Since Americans are voluntarily handing over their DNA to private companies by the millions (and paying for it) that will probably suffice as the next big tracking database which the government will be allowed to access via warrants. Metadata is nothing by comparison to this. Since some of these companies are not based in the US, warrants may not even be required, just payment (you won't even have to be a police agency to purchase the data.) You don't even need to be in a DNA database for the government to be able to find your identity from a DNA sample; all that is required is for even one of your relatives to have submitted their DNA for analysis. Once the FBI has the name of the relative of a suspect, they can track down the suspect with some regular detective work.
Your last sentence tells me that you believe governments around the world are all operating against their own laws, and that they all probably are involved in vast conspiracies against their own people. I can agree with you if you are talking about China and Russia, but grouping the USA with them is silly.
Because F-You that’s why.
Please express your concerns to the grey marketers illicitly bring our phones into Russia.
Do you have any idea, at all, of how the US justice system works?