Russian lawmakers are setting their sights on Apple due to the U2 album the company made freely available to all iTunes users after an update last year.
The leader of Russia's Liberal Democratic Party, Alexander Starovoytov, has a serious and foolish problem with the cover of the album. It shows an embrace between band member Larry Mullen, Jr. and his son. Apparently, not everyone might know the two men are family, and the image, in the eyes of the party leader, suggests homosexual intentions.
We are certain the party leader knows what is going on with the picture, but he is just trying to be difficult and probably aiming to make life difficult for Apple in the country since it is a western business.
"The cover of the album shows a group of two men, in my view, depicting the expression of non-traditional sexual relationships to each other," Starovoytov wrote in a letter, demanding an investigation.
From what we got from all of this, Starovoytov wants to fine Apple 1 million Rubles, which is around $19,300. After the fine, he hopes to suspend Apple from operating in Russia. We're not sure for how long, but we'd like to think it would be for as long as Russia and the U.S. are at odds.
For those who are confused, Russia has a law that prohibits anything that highlights the gay lifestyle. The law was put into place by President Vladimir Putin back in 2013, not too long after the Ukraine conflict kicked in.
Last year, when Apple CEO Tim Cook came out as gay to the public, an iPhone monument with the image of Steve Jobs was removed, and in its place the words, "iPhones are more dangerous than cigarettes or drugs."
It didn't take long for Apple to be called a "symbol of sodomistic sin."
Now, what Russian lawmakers do in their country is none of our business, but this need to suspend Apple over an album cover is very much stupid.
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