ACF condemns Apple’s willingness to assist in censorship in Russia and calls for pressure on the company to change its stance. To this end, ACF has reached out to one of the corporation's largest investors, which adheres to a responsible investment strategy.
In the second half of 2024, Apple actively contributed to restricting the rights of its users in Russia to access free information. At the request of state censorship authorities, nearly 150 VPN services were removed from the App Store, along with content from numerous independent media outlets. These actions enabled Russian authorities—engaged in an aggressive war and conducting domestic repression—to control the information space by limiting access to alternative sources and viewpoints.
On September 2, 2024, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed concern over Apple’s policies. In an open letter co-signed by 27 other organisations, RSF urged the company to assess the legitimacy of content bans in line with international human rights standards and to refrain from aiding Russian authorities in suppressing freedom of information.
As Apple continued its policy of supporting state censorship in Russia, ACF deemed it necessary to address one of the corporation's largest investors—the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), which owns 1.14% of Apple’s shares. The GPFG follows a responsible investment strategy requiring the companies it invests in to uphold human rights. On November 20, 2024, ACF submitted a request to the GPFG’s oversight body, the Council on Ethics, to review Apple Inc.’s violations of fundamental human rights.
In late December, Apple, in its response to Reporters Without Borders, admitted to systematically complying with the demands of Russian censorship authorities, justifying its actions as adherence to “lawful orders.” The corporation explained its position by claiming that restricting the right to freedom of information was necessary to avoid its services being blocked in Russia.
In ACF’s view, this approach entirely ignores the realities of authoritarian regimes, where “lawful orders” are often used to justify mass repression. It cannot be overlooked that Russia’s bloody invasion of Ukraine is being carried out under what the Russian state considers “lawful orders,” and Russian citizens who publicly question the legitimacy of this war are subject to criminal prosecution. The same “lawful orders” from censorship authorities have been the basis for blocking access to all independent Russian media, resulting in Russia ranking 162nd in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders. These are the very “lawful orders” that Apple willingly complies with, without conducting any further check.
We are convinced that Apple’s stated noble objective in its response to RSF—“to continue to make communications services available to the Russian people because democratic principles are best aided through the availability of these services”—cannot be achieved by assisting state censors. It is impossible to ensure access to free information while censoring independent media content and restricting tools for bypassing censorship.
Moreover, we consider Apple’s concerns about its services being blocked in Russia to be entirely unfounded. Millions of people in Russia, including the country’s elite, which sustains Vladimir Putin’s regime, use Apple products.
We firmly believe that it is crucial for the operations of major IT companies—whose influence in the modern world is immeasurable—to be guided by three principles articulated by Yulia Navalnaya at the Web Summit in Lisbon in November 2024:
1. Human rights must come first. The interests of users should be prioritised over those of states. Companies must consider the impact of their decisions on their customers and act to protect them;
2. What dictatorships call “lawful” is not necessarily legitimate. In authoritarian regimes, what is written on paper is often not upheld in practice;
3. Establish mechanisms for dialogue and consultation with civil society.
Apple’s current position contradicts each of these principles. It is incompatible with human rights, fails to reflect the corporation’s role in the modern world, and is unacceptable in its treatment of customers in authoritarian countries such as Russia.
We have conveyed our concerns, along with information about Apple’s response, to the Council on Ethics for the Government Pension Fund Global, urging them to evaluate the ethics of investing in a company that supports restrictions on the right to freedom of information. We welcome and support actions aimed at changing Apple’s policies in countries with authoritarian regimes.