Apple co-founder Steve Jobs ranks alongside Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in terms of societal impact, according to the head of Russia’s major state broadcaster Channel One. CEO Konstantin Ernst argued that the iPhone has been “extremely harmful and monstrous for humanity” by eroding human connection, as reported by independent news outlet Agentstvo.
Ernst criticized the iPhone for reducing face-to-face interactions, noting, “Today, instead of visiting your parents, you call them, sometimes going months or even years without seeing them.” He added that modern communication with friends has devolved to texting, with calling now seen as almost impolite.
“That’s why, in a certain sense, Steve Jobs falls into a sequence of figures that includes Adolf Hitler,” Ernst said during a state-sponsored event.
Last year, reports surfaced that the Kremlin had banned its policy staff, including those involved in President Vladimir Putin’s 2024 re-election campaign, from using iPhones over espionage concerns. However, Kremlin spokespersons admitted that up to 30% of employees in the presidential administration still use iPhones for personal communication.
Ernst, 63, is currently under EU sanctions due to his role in leading a Russian media company accused of spreading anti-Ukrainian propaganda.
In 2021, an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) revealed that Ernst, who directed the 2014 Winter Olympics ceremonies, was granted a stake in a Moscow property deal worth billions. The Kremlin dismissed these findings as unsubstantiated.
