- Samsung has eliminated the AdGuard VPN app from its Galaxy Retailer in Russia on the authorities’s request
- Apple already killed AdGuard VPN in 2024, alongside not less than 60 VPN apps
- Over 100 VPNs are at the moment unavailable within the Apple App Retailer, with 50 additionally unavailable within the Google Play Retailer
Yet one more VPN service has disappeared from official App Shops in Russia. This time, Samsung has eliminated the AdGuard VPN app from its Galaxy App Retailer within the nation on the Roskomnadzor’s demand.
This comes as a part of the Kremlin’s actions in opposition to VPNs which have seen over 100 apps disappear from the Russian Apple App Retailer, together with a few of the greatest VPN companies available on the market.
Regardless of Google seemingly resisting most of those calls for to this point, current knowledge exhibits that not less than 53 VPNs are additionally at the moment unavailable within the Google Play Retailer in Russia. AdGuard VPN, nevertheless, hasn’t been affected but.
“A regrettable growth”
“Our app has certainly been faraway from the Samsung Retailer in Russia – a regrettable growth, in our view,” AdGuard CPO, Denis Vyazovoy, advised TechRadar.
The VPN service has acquired an artificial e-mail from Samsung (see picture beneath) to tell that its “software data has been modified.”
The change? “Russia was excluded from the gross sales nation lists based on Russian authorities’s request. This app is banned by Russian authorities,” reads the e-mail.
AdGuard VPN was already among the many digital personal community (VPN) companies affected by the massive purge from Russia’s Apple App Retailer final 12 months. Unavailable apps additionally embrace a few of TechRadar’s favorites, akin to NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Proton VPN, but additionally the favored Russian service Amnezia VPN.
The supplier confirmed to TechRadar, although, that its app remains to be out there in Russia’s Google Play Retailer on the time of writing.
It is also value noting that these removals solely have an effect on Russia-based customers. The AdGuard VPN app remains to be out there throughout all official app shops exterior Russia.
“We see this as a part of a broader development of proscribing entry to instruments that assist folks defend their privateness and keep entry to an open web,” Vyazovoy advised TechRadar.
The Kremlin’s actions in opposition to VPNs have intensified since a legislation enforced in March 2024 criminalized the unfold of details about methods to bypass web restrictions. That is doubtless the authorized foundation upon which the Russian censor physique is issuing these calls for to Large Tech companies.
But, specialists have lengthy referred to as on these corporations to uphold Russian residents’ human rights by refraining from cooperating with these calls for and restoring censored VPN apps.
Vyazovoy confirmed to TechRadar that the service continues to function by means of different channels and the supplier is actively searching for methods to stay accessible to all customers.
In case you are utilizing a Galaxy smartphone, I like to recommend downloading the AdGuard VPN app from the Google Play Retailer, the place the service remains to be out there on the time of writing.
The supplier additionally suggests downloading it instantly from their official web site to make sure to get the newest and most secure model.
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