Apple Maps Crimea screenshotSource: BBC

What you need to know

  • 15 European Parliament members have written to Apple.
  • They want it to reverse its decision on Crimea.
  • Users in Russia now see Crimea as within its borders.

If Apple hoped that its ongoing Crimean problem would just go away, it's becoming clear that isn't going to happen. In the latest turn of events 15 European Parliament members (MEPs) have written to Apple, asking it to reconsider its options.

Apple recently made a change that means Crimea appears as Russian in the Apple Maps and Weather apps. But that's only the case if you're in Russia. But even that is causing controversy, with Patently Apple (via 9to5Mac) noting that 15 MEPs want Apple to alter course.

It was reported today on Ukrainian news channel 11.UA that more than a dozen Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sent letters to the office of the American company Apple demanding to correct incorrect information about Crimea, which was indicated in the Apple Maps and Weather applications as the territory of the Russian Federation. Representative of Ukraine to the EU, ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Mykola Tochitsky announced it on Twitter.

Tochisky has also took to Twitter to tell Apple that it needs to value international law above profits.

In the letter sent to Apple, MEPs call for the company to "restore correct mentioning of Crimea" to make it appear as part of Ukraine regardless of where the user is located.

Apple's troubling decision to adhere to Russian geopolitical pressure rather than acknowledge the humanity of those suffering must be challenged.

We are heartened by the rapid measures taken by Apple after initial reporting of the matter, but there is still more to be done […] We rely on you to restore correct mentioning of Crimea as part of Ukraine in Apple Maps and Weather apps at the earliest possible time.

This is clearly an issue that isn't going to go away, no matter how much Apple likely wishes that it would.

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