- Russia may block all Google services due to concerns about data storage
- The move is part of a “soft squeeze” of US tech companies
- This follows a wider crackdown on Western platforms
Russia is considering a complete ban on all Google services, according to a top official, as the country continues to tighten its grip on the Internet.
Andrei Svintsov, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, reportedly said that many, if not all, of Google’s services could be restricted because the company stores user data outside of Russia. Svintsov claims this represents a “serious threat” to the country and its economy, as it allows for surveillance of Russian companies. This could then be used to inform further sanctions against the country.
This is not the first time Svintsov has targeted Google-owned platforms. Back in August, he suggested that Google Meet could be banned after the service experienced some brief disruptions in the country. At the time, Svintsov said that any Western apps deemed a threat to national security could be banned, and that those “that can spy on our citizens and send information to Western intelligence services may well be blocked.”
The Russian government has for some time pushed for foreign technology companies to store data from Russian users on servers in the country. With the introduction of a new bill in the Duma to strengthen the protection of personal data when transferred abroad, it seems that the government is now ready to take more drastic measures to enforce this.
The ultimate goal, Svintsov says, is a “soft push” of American technology out of Russia. For those who want to bypass ongoing and new restrictions, it becomes increasingly important to use one of the best VPN services.
Russia’s Digital Iron Curtain
This latest threat to Google is part of a broader trend of Russia’s increasing digital isolation. While the government has a long history of restricting the Internet, censors have further targeted a number of Western platforms in recent months.
In December, it was reported that Russia had blocked access to Roblox, FaceTime and Snapchat, with the country’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, accusing the platforms of hosting “extremist materials” and being used to organize “terrorist activities”.
The popular messaging service WhatsApp is also in the Kremlin’s crosshairs, with the government threatening a complete ban on the app. More than 30 experts from civil society organizations and technology companies have condemned Russia’s actions, calling it a “broader campaign against human rights.” In a joint letter, they argue that “Free, private and secure communication is not a privilege, but a fundamental right that must be protected everywhere.”
In addition to blocking access to Western platforms, Russia is also making it harder for its citizens to use tools that can bypass its censorship. The government has actually cracked down on VPN use over the years. In March 2024, it introduced a law criminalizing the dissemination of information on how to circumvent internet restrictions.
That’s likely the legal basis behind a wave of takedown orders that has seen Apple kill at least 60 VPN apps, including the popular Russian service Amnezia VPN, in 2024 alone.
These escalating restrictions create a digital iron curtain, cutting off Russia from the rest of the world and leaving its citizens with fewer and fewer options for secure and private communication.
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