As one more step to tighten state control over online communication, Russia has reportedly tried to completely block WhatsApp as a part of a wider ban on foreign messaging services. The company controlled by Meta indicated the action as an attempt to push its over 100 million users in Russia to a state-owned messaging app, which critics claim is a tool of surveillance.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, suggested that, possibly, Meta might resume its services in Russia in case of adherence to the laws in the country and engagement in the dialogue with the authorities. He however made it explicit that the company would not stand a chance of operating in the country in the event that it would not comply with the regulatory requirements.
Russia internet watchdog Roskomnadzor also declared that it had imposed further blocks on Telegram earlier this week citing security concerns. Telegram is still popular even among the military personnel who took part in the war in Ukraine. The limitations have been criticized by the pro-war bloggers who argue that the limitations are interfering with communications in the battlefields.
Both WhatsApp and Telegram have not been able to meet the requirements stipulated in the laws of storing data of the Russian users in the domestic servers, according to the reasoning of the Russian authorities. In its turn, WhatsApp claimed that it is doing its best to make sure that people in Russia are able to communicate privately and safely any longer.
It was earlier claimed by a state media outlet Tass that a ban on WhatsApp permanently may become a reality in 2026. In response to the designation that Meta is an extremist organization in 2022, Russia has already banned Facebook and Instagram, which can now only be accessed with the help of a virtual private network (VPN).
A significant deletion of major international websites in the state domain system of Russia has also been observed by the digital rights groups, which further restricts open access of the internet.
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