Yesterday, it was reported that Russia continues to impose restrictions on the Telegram app due to the failure to comply with Russian law. And now it is said that after Telegram’s restriction, the Russian government has attempted to block WhatsApp fully.
Meta-owned platform WhatsApp mentioned in its X post that this attempt was made in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app. The company stated, “Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backward step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia. We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected.”
Reportedly, when Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was asked about the return of WhatsApp in Russia, he told TASS news agency, “This is again a question of fulfilling the legislation. If the Meta corporation fulfils this and enters into dialogue with Russian authorities, then we have the possibility of reaching an agreement.” He further mentioned, “If the corporation sticks to an uncompromising position and shows itself unready to align with Russian legislation, then there is no chance.”
It was recently revealed by The Financial Times that Russian authorities removed WhatsApp from an online directory run by the state’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor. Last year, Russia already began restricting calls on WhatsApp and Telegram.
Stay tuned with The Tech Outlook for the latest updates.
