Smartphones sold in Russia must have software that promotes "Russian values"

[midian182]

WTF?! Not content with banning the sale of devices that lack any Russian-made software, the government now wants the software to promote traditional Russian values and be morally sound, while also being popular and secure.

Back in November last year, Russia passed a law prohibiting the sale of devices, including smartphones and TVs, that don’t come preconfigured with Russian software. Set to go into effect in July 2020, the law doesn’t ban products with foreign software but requires them to also offer Russian alternatives as a way of promoting Russian technology and making it easier for the population to use.

Now, the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service has drafted guidelines outlining the type of software that could be mandatory. The resolution, seen by Reuters, states that the software should help with the “formation of the priority of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.” It did not specify what those values were.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. He probably agrees with the law.

Software and apps can be put forward for consideration by private companies, state entities, or the central bank. These will be finalized by the end of the month and submitted to the government for adoption in March.

Critics say the bill could drive large companies out of the Russian market. It’ll certainly be interesting to see what Apple does; the company isn’t one for installing third-party apps on its devices, but it has been quick to appease certain governments in the past, especially China’s. It’s worth noting, however, that Russia is nowhere near as important a market as China for Apple.

Like China, Russia doesn’t have the best reputation for respecting its citizens’ online privacy. The country has been fighting against Telegram for years because the messaging app refuses to share its encryption keys with the Federal Security Service, and there are concerns that the new law could be used to install hidden surveillance tools in devices

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https://www.techspot.com/news/83734-smartphones-sold-russia-must-have-software-promotes-russian.html

 

[jonny888]

"Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. He probably agrees with the law."

That is such a bizarre thing to do. Insert random picture of a Russian figure and then vaguely attempt to link him to the issue without crossing the deformation line? I can only assume you didn't have any relevant images to include in the article but this is just... strange.

 

[Vulcanproject]

Drunk simulator?

 

[Nobina]

"Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. He probably agrees with the law."

That is such a bizarre thing to do. Insert random picture of a Russian figure and then vaguely attempt to link him to the issue without crossing the deformation line? I can only assume you didn't have any relevant images to include in the article but this is just... strange.

Gotta stir some **** up.

 

[Uncle Al]

Drunk simulator?

Darn, I was hoping it meant they would just explode if not given daily rations of Vodka .....

 

[wiyosaya]

"Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. He probably agrees with the law."

That is such a bizarre thing to do. Insert random picture of a Russian figure and then vaguely attempt to link him to the issue without crossing the deformation line? I can only assume you didn't have any relevant images to include in the article but this is just... strange.

Gotta stir some **** up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarch_Kirill_of_Moscow

 

[Ludak021]

FYI: Most countries require the companies that import and/or sell goods to have manual translated to local language. Russians are obviously trying to give opportunity to Russian companies to make some profit on foreign products. They are the first to require these local values, that's weird. What? Like put an Orthodox cross on the box or what? I thought they were secular country. I guess I was wrong.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Corruption, cronyism, meddling, drugs, vodka and kissing Putin’s @rse, these are the real Russian values they talk about.

Tech companies should just stop selling their stuff in Russia, let them build their own if they are so smart. Why enable a scum like Putin.

 

[Ludak021]

They have their own everything, and would be more than happy to push everyone else out but they cant. Women want iphone from China and it's a lot of moeny for apple to just let go. So don't worry, they are going to kiss and make Russian value whatever.

And the things you mentioned in the first part, you have that even in US, so don't be so cynical. Except some of those are illegal in Russia, like drugs.

 

[treetops]

And in some countries the weather girls are nude and have been for decades. 60-70 years ago we neutered for lack of better word undesirables in the USA. Get over yourselves.

 

[cliffordcooley]

What exactly are the Russian values that smartphones need conforming to? When you find out, please let us know. I would like to know, if I agree with a good portion of them.

 

[quadibloc]

Since apparently one traditional Russian value, at least according to Putin, is hostility to those who are in the LGTBQ category, and this qualifies as discrimination in the perspective of the Western world, I think this has a real chance of completely pushing Western companies out, as appeasement won't be an available option.
Given China's record with the Belt and Road initiative, however, they won't have a problem with selling smartphones to Russia.

 

[quadibloc]

That is such a bizarre thing to do. Insert random picture of a Russian figure

As it happens, he has publicly supported Russia's invasion of the Crimea, so they weren't just picking on him for no reason. And Russia's new laws against homosexuality have received Orthodox Church support as well.

 

[Udelh579]

The only reason that happens is to restrict competition from western software companies. Thus increase the economical presence of Russian software. And national values are just a cover up.

 

[jonny888]

As it happens, he has publicly supported Russia's invasion of the Crimea, so they weren't just picking on him for no reason. And Russia's new laws against homosexuality have received Orthodox Church support as well.

Yeah for sure the guy isn't winning any free rights awards, but you could play that game with almost anyone for almost anything. "This guy did X once, so lets tag him and imply he also likes this other thing despite no actual content to suggest or prove otherwise". It's easy enough to do. But it's meaningless at best, and dodgy journalism at worst.

 

[raydpratt007]

It is not illegal to be gay in Russia, but it is illegal to advertise or promote your homosexuality to minors, or, in other words, to display your homosexuality to other people's children. In contrast, in the U.S., Jeffrey Epstein got a sweetheart deal of part-time jail for serious molestation charges of underage girls, or, in other words, for molesting other people's children. I think that I share Russian values in this regard, and I would have no anger about being denied homosexual apps that anyone could download, including other people's children. I think that the proper place for raising a child is in the home of the parents, not in the social sphere of homosexuals. It is truly offensive for anyone to claim that they have the right to indoctrinate other people's children regarding alternative sexual lifestyles. That is Jeffrey Epstein.

 

[Markoni35]

In USA it's perfectly legal to show gay rapes and advertise them in all prison moves. Nobody calling them gays, even though that's exactly what they are. No protests in front of prisons asking to stop gay rapes. Not human rights activists fighting for the rights of prisoners not to be raped in the most humiliating way.

But... if a man tells a woman she's got great legs - that's sexual assault. Send him to electric chair!! Hence, by US standards gay rape is okay, anything hetero is no-no.

I think I like Russian viewpoint on that topic a lot more. They don't allow promoting a disorder as if it's normal behavior. At least not to children. And yes, it is a disorder. Without a cure for now.

If Down syndrome is a disorder, if insomnia is a disorder, if infertility is a disorder, if depression is a disorder - then how do you call when someone puts a female brain in male body, or male brain in female body/ Can it be any bigger disorder than that? And P.C. is banning us to call an orange an orange?

 

[quadibloc]

The problem isn't that Putin supports traditional family values. I think this particular campaign has a far more sinister intent. Without crossing the line of doing anything that would be severely condemned in the West, I think this is really a way to send a message to Russia's Jewish community not to criticize him too loudly.

 

[quadibloc]

In case my post above was cryptic: I think Putin's anti-gay actions are intended to demonstrate he is not "politically correct", that he is perhaps willing to persecute minorities. Given that his first foreign aggression, against Georgia, was on the pretext that Russians there were being abused - like Germans in the Sudetenland - it's not hard to connect the dots.

 

[Markoni35]

In case my post above was cryptic: I think Putin's anti-gay actions are intended to demonstrate he is not "politically correct", that he is perhaps willing to persecute minorities. Given that his first foreign aggression, against Georgia, was on the pretext that Russians there were being abused - like Germans in the Sudetenland - it's not hard to connect the dots.

Your reasoning has absolutely no logic. Did you know that Germans didn't really lose WW-I ? All the the involved countries were prepared to sign the end of war, just to stop further loses, without actually anyone losing. But then something interesting happened. So called Weimar Republic was formed, ruled mostly by a certain minority, which in the name of all Germans signed capitulation.

And thus Germany lost the first world war not by weapons, but by betrayal from the inside. Which is why certain things happened in the WW-II. But of course, that's the part of history that History Channel and Viasat History always somehow forget to mention.