If anything surprised me in the recent election, it was not Putin falsifying the results, but how obediently the all-powerful Big Tech companies turned themselves into his accomplices. The giants Apple and Google, complying with the Kremlin’s demands, removed our app. My beloved YouTube deleted our video, and the Telegram messenger blocked our bot. These programs, deemed “extremist” by Putin, contained nothing more than information about opposition candidates in your district. By law and by common sense, each of us has the right to urge people to vote—or not vote—for anyone at all. But in our case, the very intention of organizing voters in order to push back the ruling party was declared a crime, and Big Tech went along with it. In doing so, they recognized the right of an authoritarian thief to subjugate the internet as well, turning it into a tool for staying in power. It is one thing when internet monopolies are run by nice, freedom-loving nerds with firm principles. It is quite another when the people in charge are both cowardly and greedy. One of the challenges of our time is that false prophets now come to us not in sheep’s clothing, but in hoodies and stretched-out jeans. Against a backdrop of giant screens, they tell us about “make the world a better place,” but inside they are liars and hypocrites. The media report that the Kremlin forced Big Tech to make concessions by presenting them with what was practically a list of employees to be arrested. If that is true, then staying silent about it is the worst crime of all. It is encouragement for a terrorist taking hostages. I know that most of those who work at Google, Apple, and so on are honest and decent people. I urge them not to put up with the cowardice of their bosses. And I cannot help noting how deeply upset and disappointed I am in Pavel Durov @durov of Telegram. He is the last person I expected to see on Putin’s list of “blockers.” It seems like only recently I spoke at a rally called against the Kremlin’s blocking of Telegram itself. And I would do it again, by the way. The fact that someone betrays their principles does not mean that we should doubt ours ✊