What you need to know
- Apple could be fined by a media watchdog in Russia.
- It's over hosting a smart voting app from opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Apple and Google could face fines from a Russian media watchdog over its decision to keep hosting a smart voting app from opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
TASS reports:
Russia's media watchdog will take a decision on fining Google and Apple depending on their reaction to the order to delete the Smart Voting application from their stores, deputy head of the watchdog Vadim Subbotin told reporters.
Apple is in trouble because of a smart voting app, that comes from opposition leader Alexei Navalny. As previously reported, Apple has been warned to remove the app from its app store over claims of election interference. From our report:
In a statement Thursday Russia's media watchdog Roskomnadzor said "Criminal liability is foreseen for organizing as well as taking part in the work of extremist organizations banned in Russia", referring to the app and its contents, according to the watchdog a failure to block the app "can be considered interference" in Russia's upcoming elections and could result in hefty fines. As reported last month, Roskomnadzor demanded Apple and Google removes the app from their app marketplaces:
The app is basically designed to encourage the Russian electorate to vote tactically for the strongest candidate opposing the ruling party in the country, and the app's website has already been blocked in the country. Russia's parliamentary election will take place over three days this weekend. Navalny has previously sent a message of encouragement to voters from prison, and his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh took to Twitter calling attempts to remove the app election interference themselves.
