Social media platform WhatsApp accused Russian authorities of trying to block the service to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app. "Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia," the Meta-owned company said. The move follows renewed difficulties with Telegram after media watchdog Roskomnadzor announced new restrictions. Roskomnadzor last year accused Telegram and WhatsApp of violating Russian law by facilitating terrorists and scammers. After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia banned Facebook and Instagram as "extremist." Telegram founder Pavel Durov said authorities were trying to force citizens to switch to a state-controlled app "built for surveillance and political censorship." The Kremlin has promoted the home-grown messenger Max as an alternative, but internet experts criticize it for providing a backdoor to Moscow's security services. Tech-savvy Russians still access banned services with virtual private networks (VPNs), but authorities are introducing fines for VPN providers and blocking workarounds. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said WhatsApp's future in Russia depends on whether Meta "would enter into dialogue with the Russian authorities" and align with Russian legislation.
