WhatsApp and Telegram ban in Russia : Russia Moves to Block WhatsApp and Telegram Amid Drive to Expand State Social Media

WhatsApp and Telegram ban in Russia : Russia disabled WhatsApp nationally on Monday to promote domestic platforms, according to reports. This comes just days after Telegram Messenger was suspended by Russia’s Internet authority for alleged legal infractions.

WhatsApp criticized the prohibition, claiming that it will “isolate” over 100 million users.Today, the Russian government sought to completely block WhatsApp in order to redirect users to a state-owned monitoring app. Attempting to exclude over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a step backwards that will only lead to decreased safety in Russia. “We will continue to do everything we can to keep users connected,” the X post stated.

This happened after Moscow warned many internet platforms that if they did not follow Russian rules, they would experience slowdowns or potentially be blocked. These guidelines require that data on Russian users be retained within the nation and that companies take steps to avoid information deemed “criminal or terrorist” by Moscow.

Also reads : Justice Department Does Not File Indictment in Democrats’ Controversial Military Orders Video Case

Human rights activists and critics claim that the measure is part of the Kremlin’s larger drive to regulate online activities.

Telegram’s creator criticises the move.

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, who lives overseas and holds French and Emirati citizenship in addition to his Russian nationality, criticized the restrictions. According to a message on his Telegram channel, the government is attempting to “force its citizens to move to a state-controlled app designed for surveillance and political censorship.”

However, the Roskomnadzor agency stated that it would continue to impose “phased restrictions” on the app. Officials did not elaborate on what particular steps would be implemented.

WhatsApp and Telegram ban in Russia : Russia promotes Max app.

Moscow is promoting Max, a government-backed program that provides texting, payments, and access to more state services. The initiative comes amid suspicions that authorities want greater controls on internet communication within Russia.

This is not Russia’s first attempt to stop Telegram. Authorities attempted to ban the app prior to the war, but the limitations failed, and the ban was lifted in 2020. Despite previous attempts, Telegram remains popular with Russian users.