The Russian authorities announced on Wednesday that “partial” restrictions would be imposed on the use of Telegram and WhatsApp for instant communications. In a statement, the Russian Federal Office for the Supervision of Communication, Information Technology and the Mass Media, a governmental media and Internet regulatory agency, stated that the measure was intended to be a necessary tool for combating crime.
According to the statement: “According to complaints from law enforcement agencies and a large number of citizens, the use of Telegram and WhatsApp for foreign instant communications has become the main means of voice services, but has been used for fraudulent extortion and to induce Russian citizens to participate in sabotage and terrorist activities”. The regulator also asserted that “repeated requests for counter-measures have been ignored by these communications applications”.
In his statement, a spokesperson for the WhatsApp said that the use of encrypted communications “rejecting the Government’s violation of the right of people to secure communications, which is why Russia is trying to prevent more than 100 million Russians from using it”.
Last month, Russia passed a law to pressure whatsApp and launched a new “nationally produced” communication application. Reports of the obstruction of the calls of WhatsApp and Telegram appeared in the Russian media earlier this week, with users complaining that the phones were not working or that they could not hear each other ‘ s voices.
According to data from Mediacope, Russia ‘ s media-testing agency, WhatsApp was Russia ‘ s most popular platform in July, with more than 96 million users per month, followed by Telegram, with more than 89 million users.
The Kremlin tried unsuccessfully to block Telegram in 2018-2020. In 2022, the Russian authorities blocked key social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, and classified their parent company Meta as an extremist organization.
In July this year, Congressman Anton Gorelkin stated that WhitsApp “should be prepared to leave the Russian market” and that the new “nationally produced” communications application, developed by Russia’s largest social media company, VK, MAX, would replace it.
MAX, promoted as a one-stop application for the integration of instant messaging, online government services, payments, etc., has been introduced and tested but has not yet attracted a large number of users. According to Russian Tas, more than 2 million people had been registered as of July. A new rule indicates that all smart phones sold in Russia must pre-load MAX. National institutions, officials and businesses have been actively encouraged to transfer communications and blogs to MAX.
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media has indicated that it would be possible to restore the call function of the ChatsApp and Telegram if these platforms were “to comply with Russian law”. The Department clarified that part of the restrictions announced by Roskomnadzor only applied to voice calls.
