A Moscow court has fined Apple around $131,000, claiming the company broke Russian laws that ban what the government calls “LGBT propaganda.” The court ruling includes four charges, one of which accuses Apple of refusing to remove flagged content.
This latest fine adds to the ongoing tensions between global tech firms and Russian regulators, who continue to tighten control over online platforms.
Limited Details From a Closed Hearing
The court charged Apple with three content violations and one failure to comply with a takedown request. The initial fine came to $93,500. Later, a final hearing added another $37,400.
Apple’s lawyer, Elena Chetverikova, asked the judge to close the hearing. She said it might involve confidential company data. The judge approved her request, and reporters had to leave the room.
When the court delivered its verdict, journalists said the judge spoke too quickly to catch the full details. Officials also refused to release the case summary, saying the hearing was classified.
Russia’s History of Fines Against Apple
This is not the first time Russia has taken legal action against Apple. In 2023, another court fined the company $42,000 for spreading “false information” about the war in Ukraine through Apple News.
Russian courts have also targeted Apple in other unusual cases. For example, one man once sued the company, claiming a crypto app from the App Store “turned him gay.”
Russia’s Supreme Court classified the global LGBTQ+ movement as an extremist group in 2023, which has since led to stricter laws and penalties.
Big Tech Faces Tougher Rules in Russia
Apple has not commented on the new fine. Still, the case shows the growing risks for tech firms in countries with restrictive speech laws.
Even though the fine is small compared to Apple’s global earnings, it highlights a larger issue: how international companies must balance local compliance with global values.
