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Apple is pulling VPN apps from its App Store in Russia and has removed over 50 this summer alone, bringing the total to nearly 100 VPN apps removed this year so far.
That's according to a new investigation from anti-censorship advocacy group GreatFire, which tracks App Store app removals around the world. Its data shows that Russia has seen 793 apps removed so far.
Roskomnadzor, Russia's communications authority, previously ordered the removal of 25 VPN apps. But GreatFire finds Apple has actually removed 98 this year. According to GreatFire's estimates, Apple has barred over 20% of known VPN apps from being available in Russia.
VPNs can be used to protect an internet user's privacy and disguise their location to circumvent national internet restrictions. Because of their anti-censorship features, VPNs or encrypted messaging services can be a target for authoritarian governments looking to restrict any criticism of their rule.
While GreatFire notes that a total VPN ban is not being currently enforced in Russia, the loss of nearly 100 options may concern those in Russia trying to gain access to social media platforms or non-Russian news sources. Russia previously banned Meta's Instagram and Facebook apps in the country because it claims Meta is a "terrorist" organization. Recently, Russia throttled YouTube speeds to the point that the video platform is virtually unusable in the country.
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Google-owned YouTube pulled Russian channels last year, and has continued to do so. This year, it's banned channels for spreading political propaganda and paying US influencers to spread pro-Russia, anti-Ukraine sentiment.
Google has also shut down Russian AdSense accounts and reportedly restricted the creation of new Google accounts in Russia. US sanctions are also requiring web hosting and productivity platforms, like Wix and Notion, to ban Russia-based users. All of this means it's become difficult for Russia-based individuals to access the web freely and safely—and reduces opportunities to contact or hear from the outside world.
In 2022, Ukraine asked Apple to block the entire iOS App Store in Russia, claiming that such an action would help weaken Russia and motivate Russian youth to call for an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Apple isn't a stranger to censoring apps, however. It has complied with China's VPN ban since 2017, and has deleted Threads, WhatsApp, and Signal as well. GreatFire's data shows that China is the most-censored country when it comes to available iOS and Mac apps by a substantial margin, seeing over 5,600 tracked App Store apps banned thus far. Russia has seen the second-most apps removed, and the US comes in third with 725 apps removed.
PCMag has reached out to Apple for comment.