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Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

reuters.com

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Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#251

Post by joconde »

lifty wrote: post #100
joconde wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems to achieve nothing in practice. If Google and Apple leave Russia, then whatever replaces them will probably be even more compliant with the government. Of course, working in the country means paying tax dollars and "participating in the dictatorship" in that way, but that's not linked to app store restrictions. It's not as if they needed to get ordered to remove that app to realize they were working in a d…

I am sorry, but that's bullshit. Do you see Russia threatening Microsoft for not banning certain apps from Windows? No, because they can't. Apple and Google have build their ecosystem in such a way that they have full power over these decisions, and now they are forced to use that power. Edit: Google has a slight advantage here because people can still sideload apps on Android, but that's not possible on iOS.

> Apple and Google have build their ecosystem in such a way that they have full power over these decisions, and now they are forced to use that power.

They made choices that put them in this situation, sure. But how does the fact that it's their fault change their situation now? Leaving still achieves nothing, and they certainly won't change their business model for that reason alone, so the logical choice is to stay and obey.

If they left, I doubt they would be replaced by a Microsoft-like that has less control over their devices. More likely, the void would be filled by government-compliant companies.

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#252

Post by ClumsyPilot »

baybal2 wrote: post #198
simonh wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Collapsing economies simply make autocrats double down even harder on autocracy. North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Zimbabwe. There are numerous examples of this. It simply multiplies the misery.

Why is this even relevant? You always have to keep heads of your enemies down. That's basic common sense. Dictatorships are the enemies of the Free World. Or, do you think they are friends, perhaps? They are your enemies, and you keep their economies ruined.

-1 Point for faiure to distinguish between the mobsters in charge and general population

-1 point for dillusional idea that cuba is an enemy or a threat to the us or anyone fir that matter

-1 point fir lack of self-reflection on how free we are becoming

-1 point for cruelty

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#253

Post by oliwarner »

viktorcode wrote: post #85

Reuters doesn't report this, but the government officials threatened the companies (Apple and Google) with jail time for their employees yesterday. After that the companies finally conceded. There's a short video fragment from the meeting of the government officials and the companies representatives. It's worth watching, especially if you come from a democratic nation. Letting your Russian employees be persecuted don…

Except that by this point, all this is expected behaviour.

If companies don't want to be complicit in these crimes, they need to extricate themselves from the country and cut all ties.

If they do want to put profit ahead of everything else, then whatever, but you don't get to defend them as doing the right thing for their employees. They're enabling the whole situation.

[Edit to bring in a sister question] "Why don't Apple pull out of China then?" - because they put profit and cheap manufacturing ahead of their morals. And apparently we don't care enough that China effected a genocide while we watched.

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#254

Post by Arech »

Dah00n wrote: post #186
Arech wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please don't call it elections. Nothing even close.

Well, it's all in the eye of the beholder. As someone living in Scandinavia looking at the US that doesn't look like elections much either. Pick your favourite animal: A: Black horse B: Brown horse Z: Pony

No it is not.

(if you really "living in Scandinavia") You literally don't understand what are you talking about, which is damn obvious when you comparing Scandinavia or even US to Russia. You basically comparing Tesla car to horse-drawn carriage and draw similarities on a basis that both have 4 wheels and therefore they are both great and safe transportation devices.

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#255

Post by ipaddr »

gman83 wrote: post #222
hnlmorg wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fairness, people have been asking Apple and Google (plus many other western businesses) to pull out of China for a long time. The point your making isn't something new nor overlooked.

But Google did pull out of China, did that improve the situation in China? Meanwhile Apple makes billions in China and barely anyone says anything. If you're Google you're looking at that like a raw deal.

Yes Google pulling out instead of censoring search results and spying on users for the government made things better for people in China.

Apple scan your photos. Tells you what apps you are allowed to install and charges you extra for all of that. Whatever type of person is left on the platform is more likely to be going through stockholm syndrome and wouldn't be in a situation to make a political statement.

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#256

Post by jhgb »

d0gsg0w00f wrote: post #204
kurokikaze wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's voting for the candidate most likely to win against the main party's candidates. The app's purpose is to concentrate protest voters on one candidate without spreading them over all of them.

Could the same thing be accomplished with rank choice voting?

Wouldn't you have to be in control of the government for that in the first place?

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#257

Post by kilotaras »

d0gsg0w00f wrote: post #204
kurokikaze wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's voting for the candidate most likely to win against the main party's candidates. The app's purpose is to concentrate protest voters on one candidate without spreading them over all of them.

Could the same thing be accomplished with rank choice voting?

Are you asking if Russia would allow alternative voting system in order to make it easier voting for opposition candidate?

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#258

Post by lupire »

viktorcode wrote: post #85

Reuters doesn't report this, but the government officials threatened the companies (Apple and Google) with jail time for their employees yesterday. After that the companies finally conceded. There's a short video fragment from the meeting of the government officials and the companies representatives. It's worth watching, especially if you come from a democratic nation. Letting your Russian employees be persecuted don…

These companies shouldn't have Russian employees in Russia.

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#259

Post by nkozyra »

mycoborea wrote: post #210
oleganza wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm no fan of political power in Russia (my home country) or anywhere else in the world, but come on with this double-standard bullshit. Every country does exactly the same thing. Just look at how much suppression of "alternative voices" happens in real time all over the world and what apps were banned, accounts closed etc. Jan 6 was painted as bad as 9/11, ffs. It may be staged differently so it's not the "governmen…

Agreed. Navalny’s behavior is seen by many as “election meddling” backed by a hostile foreign power. Sound familiar?

The central point of this in 2016 was an actual crime being committed at the behest or reward of an American campaign.

So it sounds familiar if you squint and stand a hundred yards back.

Re: Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin

#260

Post by mcntsh »

Dah00n wrote: post #186
Arech wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please don't call it elections. Nothing even close.

Well, it's all in the eye of the beholder. As someone living in Scandinavia looking at the US that doesn't look like elections much either. Pick your favourite animal: A: Black horse B: Brown horse Z: Pony

As someone living in Scandinavia you probably have a King.

Anyway, these law makers are still democratically elected in the US (more than we can say about the king of Norway), and these parties are more like coalitions anyway since they're so large and broad.

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