This archive report was first published on 3 October 2019.
On September 20, a Russian man filed a lawsuit against Apple in a Moscow court, alleging that an iPhone app had caused him moral and mental harm by turning him gay.
The incident occurred this summer when the man ordered Bitcoin via a smartphone app, but instead received a cryptocurrency called 'GayCoin' with a note saying, 'Don't judge until you try.'
According to the complaint, the man's life has been changed for the worse, and he now has a boyfriend, causing him distress and making it difficult for him to explain his new relationship to his parents.
His lawyer, Sapizhat Gusnieva, stated that her client was 'scared, he suffered' and that Apple had a responsibility for its programs, despite the alleged exchange taking place on a third-party app.
Apple's representatives in Russia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The court will hear the complaint on October 17, according to information on its website.
Homophobia is widespread in Russia, where reports of rights violations and attacks on LGBT people are common, despite the presence of gay scenes in major cities.
In 2013, Moscow introduced a law against 'gay propaganda', which officially bans the promotion of non-traditional lifestyles to minors but in effect outlaws LGBT activism.
