The owner of Tinder, Match Groupcommunicated that will leave Russia before June 30claiming the need to protect human rightsjoining many other Western companies that have left since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine last year.
“We are committed to protecting human rights,” Match said in an annual impact report released Monday. “Our brands are taking measures to restrict access to its services in Russia and will complete their withdrawal from the Russian market by June 30, 2023.”
Many understaffed digital service providers in Russia, such as Spotify and Netflixwithdrew shortly after Moscow began its military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022.
Match, whose brands include dating apps like Tinder, Hinge and PlentyOfFishhas made few public statements about its operations in Russia, but noted negative impacts in its European business in March 2022.
Match did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.
Match shareholder, Friends Fiduciary Corp.said Match had set an example for others by linking its decision to the human rights risks facing the Ukrainian people.
The European police agency Europol said in September that dating apps were among the “hijacked” online platforms by individuals for the purpose of human traffickingdrawing attention to the plight of Ukrainian refugees.
Jeff PerkinsCEO of Friends Fiduciary, told Reuters that a company that is based on trust has good reasons to leave Russia.
“It does not give a good image that a trusted brand continues to operate in a nation whose head of state has been indicted by the International Criminal Court”, he added.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant on March 17 against the Russian president, Vladimir Putinaccusing him of war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
Moscow denies committing war crimes, including the forcible deportation of children, and says the ICC decision is meaningless as Russia is not a member.
(With information from Reuters)
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Source-www.infobae.com