Russia Fines Apple $131,000 for ‘LGBT Propaganda’ and Content Violations

A Moscow court has hit Apple with fines tied to alleged promotion of ‘non-traditional sexual relations’ and failure to remove banned content.

A customer tests a smartphone during the launch of the new iPhone XS and XS Max sales at 're:Store' Apple reseller shop in Moscow, on Sept. 28, 2018. Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters

A Moscow court has fined Apple a total of 10.5 million rubles (approximately $131,000) for alleged violations of Russia’s ban on “LGBT propaganda” and for failing to delete prohibited content at the request of government censors.

The rulings were issued on May 19 by the Tagansky District Court, according to Mediazona, an independent Russian media outlet whose reporters were in the courtroom for those parts of the proceedings that were not closed to the press. Russian state media Tass and Interfax corroborated the rulings.

Over the course of the afternoon, Judge Alexandra Anokhina issued four separate fines against Apple Distribution International Ltd., per Mediazona.

Three of the penalties—each totaling 2.5 million rubles (roughly $31,000)—were levied under rules Russia adopted in 2023 that criminalize the dissemination of material deemed to promote “non-traditional sexual relations.” A fourth fine, for 3 million rubles (around $37,400), was imposed over Apple’s alleged failure to delete online content that violated Russian information laws. No further details of the claims were released, with most of the proceedings closed to the press and public.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the rulings.

The move marks the most significant legal action to date against Apple under Russia’s recently expanded censorship laws.

‘LGBT Propaganda’ Ban

Russia in 2023 widened restrictions on the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations,” with the law banning efforts to “promote homosexuality” through media such as films, books, and online platforms, while imposing hefty fines for violations.

At the time, then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the measure, calling it a “blow to freedom of expression.”

In response to criticism from U.S. officials, the Russian embassy in Washington accused the West of trying to “impose pseudo-liberal and perverted ideas about human rights on other countries.”

The 2023 law builds on earlier restrictions dating back to 2013, when Russia first banned “LGBT propaganda” targeting minors. Since then, the law has been used to outlaw public “gay pride” events and detain pro-LGBT activists.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, backed by the Russian Orthodox Church, has repeatedly said LGBT advocacy—particularly the concept of “gender fluidity”—is a threat to Russia’s cultural and moral stability.

On several occasions, he has said that such notions were evidence of “moral decay,” accusing the West of imposing “alien ideologies” on the rest of the world.

“Western elites believe they can impose strange ideas on their people, such as the existence of dozens of genders,” the Russian leader declared in October 2022. “But they have no right to tell others to follow in their footsteps.”

Apple in Crosshairs

Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Apple has increasingly come under pressure from Russian regulators.

Apple’s transparency reports show an increase in compliance with Russian takedown requests. In 2023, Apple removed 12 applications—up from seven the previous year—under Russian laws used to restrict access to content critical of the war.

Amid criticism that it is submitting to censorship requests, Apple defended its actions in a statement to Reporters Without Borders, saying that non-compliance could result in the shutdown of its entire Russian App Store.

The company suggested that maintaining some presence in Russia helped preserve access to communication tools—a position it said helped support “democratic principles” and was in line with informal guidance from the U.S. government.

The Moscow court’s rulings come as Apple also faces mounting regulatory scrutiny in other parts of the world.

In April, the European Commission, for example, fined Apple about $570 million for violating the European Union’s Digital Markets Act by limiting developers’ ability to inform users about cheaper offers outside the App Store.

Meanwhile, Apple has accelerated its shift away from reliance on China by expanding production in India. The company now manufactures roughly 14 percent of its iPhones there, with Indian officials projecting that share could rise to 25 percent by 2026.

Adam Morrow and The Associated Press contributed to this report.