Alexei Navalny was Russian opposition leader and anticorruption activist. He survived two poisoning attempts with Novichok. Russian authorities detained him in January 2021. Russian authorities held him in remote penal colony. Russian authorities announced his death on 16 February 2024. His Anti-Corruption Foundation posted documentary Putin’s Palace. It showed huge complex of 17,691 square meters and cost around billion dollars. It got 22 million views in first 24 hours and over 130 million views.

In 2020, days before election, Navalny associates made app to help voters find strongest candidate against Vladimir Putin in 225 districts. Apple and Google removed app. Russian authorities called Navalny movement extremist and terrorist. They threatened Apple and Google employees in Russia personally. Companies said danger to employees was main reason. Navalny aide Ivan Zhdanov called it shameful act of political censorship. Navalny called it cowardice and said companies are Putin accomplices. But no democratic government spoke out.

This case matters for Europe. EU governments face same pressure from tech companies. When companies give in to threats, they use staff as leverage and voters lose. Tech companies are not neutral in fight between democracy and authoritarianism. Their apps and platforms can help voters or silence them. Corporate leaders in Silicon Valley have real power over elections and rights. European governments need clear rules and public pressure so companies dont trade voter rights for staff safety. And they must speak when Russian authorities use threats to censor.

Source: Marietje Schaake, The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley https://thetechcoup.com/