Google, Apple Accused of ‘Political Censorship’ After Removing Voting App as Russian Polls Open

Google, Apple Accused of ‘Political Censorship’ After Removing Voting App as Russian Polls Open
The Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny's Smart Voting app is seen on a phone, in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 16, 2021. Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters
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Apple and Google removed a tactical voting app from its online store on Friday that was linked to Kremlin critic and jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny as polls opened across Russia for three days of voting in a parliamentary election.

The move was prompted after Russian authorities put pressure on the U.S. tech giants to remove the app from their stores, saying a refusal to do so would be treated as meddling in its parliamentary election while also threatening the companies with fines.

Lorenz Duchamps
Lorenz Duchamps
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Lorenz Duchamps is a news writer for NTD, The Epoch Times’ sister media, focusing primarily on the United States, world, and entertainment news.
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