Russia considers banning Android and iOs to isolate citizens further

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 wants to strike at Google, which allegedly disseminates content prohibited in Russia.

For several weeks now, 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 one of the key entities in the Kremlin's propaganda machine supporting Vladimir Putin's regime.

According to Reuters, on July 31, Roskomnadzor fined Google approximately CAD 79,000 and TikTok about CAD 64,000 for distributing prohibited content.

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," notes Komputer Świat.

Right 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 we wrote in 2022 on money.pl, 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 possible, among other things, thanks to VPNs and browsers that allow users to remain anonymous online.