Silicon Valley’s tech giants are joining the rest of the business world in pulling their products and services from Russia. Companies like Apple (AAPL) have cut ties to the Russian market entirely to protest the invasion of Ukraine, while firms like YouTube (GOOG, GOOGL) , Meta (FB), and Microsoft (MSFT) are limiting the availability of Russian propaganda networks like RT and Sputnik in Europe.
And while Big Tech’s moves put at least some pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and provide assistance to Ukrainian citizens, they can also be a boon for the companies’ bottom lines. And for companies awash in controversy, taking action against Russia can improve their standing among consumers.
“We want to think that this is altruistic and companies taking a stand, but sometimes it’s also value washing,” Forrester senior analyst Alla Valente told Yahoo Finance. “In other…
