The multinational has removed dozens of apps, even though the Kremlin’s censorship body did not order the move. These services, half-permitted by the government, enable people in Russia to access social networks and independent media

  • cum@lemmy.cafe
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    3 hours ago

    This is why you don’t buy into closed-garden ecosystems like this. If you’re on iOS, there’s nothing you can do about it, you’re at their mercy. Android has great support for side loading. There’s really only one choice if you care about freedom.

    • chiisana@lemmy.chiisana.net
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      3 hours ago

      iOS supports VPN out of the gate. Apps just make it easier to configure. Please don’t spew divisive misinformation, regardless if this is ignorant to the facts or otherwise.

      • cum@lemmy.cafe
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        2 hours ago

        Where did you read that I said iOS doesn’t support adding VPNs?

        My message is clearly talking about side loading. Don’t twist my words.

        • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
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          2 hours ago

          I do wish it were possible to make iOS more free. With that said, is it a fair comparison to draw when someone only knows how to use a VPN if it’s in the App Store, whether Apple’s or Google Play?

          So novices on either platform are harmed by lessened app availability even while both could be instructed to set a VPN up in settings or sideload an app.

          Now if it’s a TOR browser or something, that’s a big L for Apple.

  • floofloof
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    8 hours ago

    The U.S. company — whose phones are still sold in Russian stores despite the firm officially leaving the market due to the invasion of Ukraine…

    Apple taking a brave stand as ever.

  • narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee
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    9 hours ago

    Suspicious!

    You can use most VPN services via the Wireguard or OpenVPN apps though, or even via some of the protocols natively supported by iOS not requiring any third-party app.

  • conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works
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    7 hours ago

    I see no mention of what they actually removed or how reputable they are. “VPN apps” are a reasonably common approach to spyware. (Common enough that literally Facebook has done it.)

      • conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works
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        2 hours ago

        They’re a good actual mechanism for spyware, because they see all your traffic.

        Https means that they can’t see the actual contents without installing a root certificate, but they can see all the sites you visit and for how long. Reputable providers (at least the good ones) do not log any of this, but you should have a high level of trust in a provider to use their VPN, because they see a lot still.

        That doesn’t mean that they didn’t ban legit VPNs. I don’t know. But it doesn’t really qualify as “reporting news” without at least a list of the apps that were banned, because they’re providing no information at all about the legitimacy of the apps, and it’s a category appealing to bad actors.