Russia considers blocking Android and iOS in tech crackdown
Aleksey Didenko, a deputy of the Russian Duma, announced that the government is considering blocking popular operating systems for mobile devices. In this way, the Kremlin aims to strike at Google, which allegedly disseminates content prohibited in Russia.
Russia has been conducting a broad crusade against foreign tech corporations. Roskomnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media, leads this effort. Roskomnadzor decides on censorship and is a key entity in the Kremlin's propaganda machine supporting Vladimir Putin's regime.
According to Reuters, on 31 July, Roskomnadzor fined Google approximately £46,000 and TikTok around £37,000 for distributing prohibited content.
Blocking Android in Russia?
This might not be the end, however. Didenko revealed that Moscow is considering "taking decisive steps" against Google and Apple. In practice, this would lead to the blocking of the Android and iOS operating systems.
If the Kremlin decides to implement the block, it could mean even greater technological isolation for the citizens of that country. Immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Roskomnadzor restricted access to the Google News service and accused it of enabling readers to access "false" information about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As reported in 2022, Roskomnadzor blocked the BBC News portal, and a Russian court declared Meta Platforms INC., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, an "extremist" medium and banned these social network services. Access to the Twitter Messenger was also restricted. Access to Western media is still possible, among other things, thanks to VPNs and browsers that allow users to remain anonymous online.
