- Google and Apple have faced mounting pressure to respond to the Ukraine crisis because of their size and influence.
- Both have limited the reach of Russian state media on their app stores.
- On Tuesday, Apple went further and halted all product sales to Russia, which could put pressure on Google to follow suit.
As technology giants face rising pressure to act over the Ukraine crisis, Google and Apple have moved to curb Russian state media on their platforms, including limiting the reach of Russia state-backed media on their app stores.
Like Meta and other tech companies, Google and Apple have acted under pressure from lawmakers and European governments, reflecting the reach of these giants and their exposure to geopolitical events.
On Tuesday Apple announced it would remove the apps of Russian state-owned media, including Russia Today and Sputnik, from its App Stores outside of Russia. The company also rolled out an unprecedented package of measures that included a halt to all Apple product sales in Russia.
Apple’s removal of these apps puts added pressure on Google, which has banned downloads of the RT app in Ukraine but continues to make RT and Sputnik, which have been used by the Russian government to deny the war in Ukraine, available in other regions.
A Google spokesperson did not respond to questions about whether it planned to follow Apple and remove the apps in other territories.
Google is also facing pressure to control videos on YouTube, but has similarly acted with compromise. The company said on Tuesday that it would ban YouTube channels affiliated with RT and Sputnik across Europe, putting it in step with new rules laid out by the European Commission on Sunday.
But the company has so far stopped short of blocking the channels in regions outside of Ukraine or the EU, even as it prevents them from monetizing on the platform. Such timidness is not unusual for YouTube, which has historically hesitated to remove content that does not clearly break its terms of service.
Further efforts by nations to curb Russian aggression in Ukraine could force Google, Apple, and other tech platforms to take more drastic actions in order to clamp down on misinformation and remain in step with global pressure on Russia. Ukraine’s government has urged Apple to remove its App Store in Russia entirely, while others have asked Apple and Google to remove all Russian state-affiliated apps from their storefronts, including search giant Yandex.
Google and Apple have seen multiple parts of their businesses affected by the Ukraine conflict. Contactless payments services Google Pay and
Apple Pay
have stopped working for customers of sanction-hit Russian banks. Google’s spokesperson confirmed these issues were related to its compliance with international sanctions against Russian banks.
Both companies also disabled traffic data for Ukraine in their mapping apps this past week to avoid giving indications of civilian movements.
Some of Google’s products are also being repurposed as tools of information warfare by users. Listings for bars and restaurants in Russia have been flooded with fake reviews that include anti-war messages, The Daily Beast reported.
Are you a Google employee with more to share? Got a tip? Contact reporter Hugh Langley via encrypted email (hlangley@protonmail.com) or encrypted messaging apps Signal/Telegram at +1 628-228-1836. Reach out using a non-work device.
