This archive report was first published on 18 September 2021.
Published on September 18, 2021, Google and Apple's decision to remove a Russian opposition voting app from their online marketplaces has sparked international outrage.
The companies, which dominate the global smartphone market with their operating systems, have been accused of creating a 'chokepoint' for government censorship and crackdowns on dissent.
Natalia Krapiva, tech legal counsel at rights group Access Now, warned that the app stores are the new frontier for censorship, saying, 'We're witnessing a new stage of assault on digital rights.'
Advocates have expressed concerns that the removal of the app could set a precedent for other governments to exert pressure on tech giants to censor opposition voices.
As Evan Greer, director of digital advocacy group Fight for the Future, noted, 'As long as Apple maintains a stranglehold over what software millions of people use, the App Store will continue to be a convenient chokepoint for government censorship and crackdowns on dissent.'
The case has highlighted the delicate balance between tech giants' global reach and their role in combating hate, lies, and repression on their devices or platforms.
Experts warn that the pressure on tech giants to comply with governments' demands could become a 'page in the playbook' for repressive governments.
