- Russia could block all Google services due to data storage problems
- The move is part of a “soft squeeze” of US technology companies.
- This follows a broader crackdown on Western platforms.
Russia is considering a complete ban on all Google services, according to a senior government official, as the country continues to strengthen its control over the Internet.
Andrei Svintsov, a member of the State Duma’s information policy committee, reportedly said that many, if not all, Google services could be restricted because the company stores user data outside Russia. Svintsov claims that this represents a “serious threat” to the country and its economy, as it allows Russian companies to be monitored. This could then be used to inform new sanctions against the country.
This is not the first time Svintsov has targeted Google-owned platforms. In August, he suggested that Google Meet could be banned after the service experienced some brief outages in the country. At the time, Svintsov said that any Western app considered a threat to national security could be banned and that those that “could spy on our citizens and send information to Western intelligence services could well be blocked.”
The Russian government has been pushing for foreign tech companies to store Russian users’ data on servers located within the country for some time. 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 willing to take more drastic measures to enforce this law.
The ultimate goal, Svintsov says, is a “soft expression” of American technology outside of Russia. For those looking to bypass new and current restrictions, using one of the best VPN services is increasingly important.
Russia’s digital iron curtain
This latest threat against Google is part of a broader trend of Russia’s growing digital isolation. While the government has a long history of internet restrictions, censors have focused even more attention on several Western platforms in recent months.
In December, Russia was reported to have 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 to ban the app entirely. More than 30 experts from civil society organizations and technology companies condemned Russia’s actions, calling them “a broader campaign against human rights.” In a joint letter, they maintain 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 difficult for its citizens to use tools that can bypass its censorship. In fact, the government has been cracking down on VPN use over the years. In March 2024, it introduced a law to criminalize the dissemination of information on how to circumvent Internet restrictions.
That’s likely the legal basis behind a wave of takedown orders, which have led Apple to remove at least 60 VPN apps, including the popular Russian service Amnezia VPN, in 2024 alone.
These increasing restrictions are creating a digital iron curtain, separating 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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