Two weeks ago, Russia invaded Ukraine, and the whole world wept. What’s happening across the sea is tragic and requires attention from all world leaders and countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin has remained relentless in his attack on Ukraine with no indication of stopping the war efforts. While some countries have sent aid to Ukraine during these difficult times, others have begun to place sanctions on Russia as they continue to ravage Ukraine despite intervention from the United Nations. But countries are not the only entities who have taken notice of the happenings between Ukraine and Russia. Large technology firms have begun placing their own form of sanctions on Russia.
Apple announced on March 1 that they would suspend the sale of their products in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine. In addition to the physical hardware, Apple has also begun to limit the use of their digital services, such as Apple Pay and Apple Maps, as well as others restricting Russian media outlets from broadcasting outside of Russia, like RT News and Sputnik News. The pressure for tech companies to stop the production and sale of their products in Russia is high.
After Apple announced the discontinuation of sales in Russia, other technology companies followed suit, triggering a butterfly effect often seen in tech. Both Facebook and YouTube began to crack “down on content shared by Russian media amid intensifying pressure from European officials to act against pro-Russian propaganda.” Netflix has also since stated that it will not be airing Russian TV channels. Despite the actions taken by Apple, the Ukrainian government wants more from the Apple effort. The Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, made a statement urging Apple to obstruct access to the App Store in Russia.
Other companies have also sanctioned Russia in their own manner. Microsoft has also buckled down in a similar fashion to Apple and has decided to stop selling products and services in Russia. Google has suspended its advertising business in Russia and disabled Google Maps (although they do continue to provide information showing routes for escaping Ukrainian refugees). Samsung, like Microsoft and Apple, has stopped shipments of their products to Russia. Other technology-related companies like TikTok, Snapchat, Airbnb, Disney, Sony, Warner Bros, Paramount, Universal, Nintendo, Intel, and large car manufacturers have also decided to change their relationship with Russia and decrease their interactions.
One thing to consider is how this butterfly effect will affect fleeing Ukrainians and those who are protesting the war effort in Russia. While most technology companies have been mindful to not completely halt their services in a way that would be a detriment to refugees, it is still unclear how this techno-blackout will affect victims of the war.
It’s interesting to see how technology companies often act in unison, whether it be to support specific causes, promote their collective ideals, or instigate change where they see fit. I am glad that technology companies see their large influence in hostile attacks and are responsible enough to make decisions that attempt to keep the peace and stop hostile powers. However, with the large influence that technology companies have, they should continue to use their platform and take actions that benefit victims of the war. The trajectory of the Ukraine War is still unclear, and hopefully, the recent actions taken by large tech firms help to relieve the burden placed on the Ukrainian people.
Technically Speaking is an Opinion culture column used to discuss topics relating to technology, such as pop culture, trends, social media, or other relevant subject matter.
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