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ericwn

macrumors G4
Apr 24, 2016
11,864
10,480
Many don't actually support, but speaking out isn't an option for them. And many of those that support Putin's activities do so based on the story they're fed, which is very different to the story we're fed in the West.
Good points, many support the regime just by being passive. I don’t agree however that in the Information Age you’re damned to soak up solely the local propaganda. It’s never been easier to educate oneself of external viewpoints.
 

sirozha

macrumors 68000
Jan 4, 2008
1,927
2,327
Why did it take them so long to remove this FSB dump?
Everyone who uses social media in Russia has the VK app installed already. This move by Apple is purely for show. It doesn’t prevent access to VK, and since new Apple products aren’t for sale in Russia, no one is getting a new iPhone any time soon.
 

Spaceboi Scaphandre

macrumors 68040
Jun 8, 2022
3,414
8,096
So the sanction is from the UK? Can Apple simply block the app on the UK app store? I mean if it's from the US government, then maybe it makes more sense. Does this mean the UK government can dictate what Apple have in the app store for other countries? Maybe someone can provide more details. Genuinely curious.

We're allies within NATO so if one NATO member sanctioned an adversary chances are the others would to, so Apple pulling VK from the App Store is most likely precautionary before the US follows suit in sanctioning as well.
 
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NightFox

macrumors 68040
May 10, 2005
3,243
4,502
Shropshire, UK
Good points, many support the regime just by being passive. I don’t agree however that in the Information Age you’re damned to soak up solely the local propaganda. It’s never been easier to educate oneself of external viewpoints.
But don't we in the West have a tendency to educate ourselves of external viewpoints but dismiss them as local propaganda, whilst never questioning our internal viewpoints?

I worked with a number of Russian colleagues up till a few weeks ago when their offices got closed down. Some of them were well aware of what was really going on in Ukraine, others weren't. But it was also interesting to learn from them that the picture the Western media was painting of the impact of sanctions in Moscow was heavily exaggerated and in some cases just untrue. Yet no one questioned this Western propaganda.
 
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senttoschool

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2017
2,571
5,324
Apparently better late than never, but why are the russians allowed to murder innocent people for six months before some react?
Imagine if the USA government was sanctioned for murdering innocent people locally and abroad, historically and present... would Apple remove all apps made from the US?

FYI, I do not support wars, any wars. And I do not support Russia's war in Ukraine.
 

TinyMito

macrumors 6502a
Nov 1, 2021
821
1,173
Already block these apps and website on my Pi-Hole lol. Also on my Ubiquiti hardwares. Geo blocked all Russia sources as well.

There are several apps like 1Blocker is also sending info to Russia server, how I know because all the IPs point back home to Russia.
 

ian87w

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2020
8,704
12,636
Indonesia
We're allies within NATO so if one NATO member sanctioned an adversary chances are the others would to, so Apple pulling VK from the App Store is most likely precautionary before the US follows suit in sanctioning as well.
Thank you for giving a possible reason. So I’m guessing it’s a treaty thing, where if one country enacted a sanction, the other members would probably need to follow suit.

Is it like the Huawei US ban, I guess?
 

cicalinarrot

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2015
517
1,711
If VK hadn't stolen Facebook's graphics, I would have thought it was a dating app for neonazis the fist time I saw it. And being more neonazi-friendly than Facebook must be quite hard.
 
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gaximus

macrumors 68020
Oct 11, 2011
2,254
4,435
Good points, many support the regime just by being passive. I don’t agree however that in the Information Age you’re damned to soak up solely the local propaganda. It’s never been easier to educate oneself of external viewpoints.
Not easy in some countries, especially when the government filters the internet.
 
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TimmKook

Suspended
Sep 1, 2020
156
368
GOOD MORNING!

I get to choose what media you consume. Free speech is not real. I literally run this ****. The only media I'm allowing on our Apple platform is media that aligns with my views. Sorry suckers! Build your own App Store if you want to hear other sides/viewpoints. For now, you will get only the sides I want you to hear.
 

djlythium

macrumors 65816
Jun 11, 2014
1,138
1,587
I feel like there’s an error in operationalization within that poll, or, at least, how the message is framed.

That article begins with “What do ordinary Russians think about President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine…”, but that Q is measured “…by asking whether people support the actions of the Russian military.” Seems like two different Qs, IMO. Notably, Volkov and colleagues have to be incredibly careful.
 
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Kabeyun

macrumors 68040
Mar 27, 2004
3,412
6,379
Eastern USA
Because you don’t agree with it ok then, it’s just a social media platform, I’m sure you wanna cancel every platform that doesn’t have your views
It’s an international business sanction, boys. Take a deep breath, have some decaf, and file away the indignity for another day.
 
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Spaceboi Scaphandre

macrumors 68040
Jun 8, 2022
3,414
8,096
Thank you for giving a possible reason. So I’m guessing it’s a treaty thing, where if one country enacted a sanction, the other members would probably need to follow suit.

Is it like the Huawei US ban, I guess?

Yes. If you remember Article 5 of the NATO treaty: An attack on one NATO party is an attack on them all. To reinforce that fact other NATO parties participate in actions against our adversary however they see fit, which in this case is supporting the UK's sanctions against Russian tech oligarchs.

In terms of Huawei that can be more interpreted with Article 3: "In order more effectively to achieve the objectives of this Treaty, the Parties, separately and jointly, by means of continuous and effective self-help and mutual aid, will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack." The reason Huawei is banned in the United States is because their phones and commlines were being wiretapped trying to easedrop on our government infrastructure and other corporations and organizations. So the European NATO members followed suit cancelling their 5G tower upgrades with Huawei.

There's a reason NATO has stuck around decades after the Iron Curtain fell.

images
 

ericwn

macrumors G4
Apr 24, 2016
11,864
10,480
Not easy in some countries, especially when the government filters the internet.
True but ultimately there are ways to inform yourself, you need to put in more of an effort of course. But if you’re a critical person not just since yesterday you probably have figured out your channels for information.
 
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