Russia tightens controls on messaging apps, restricts WhatsApp and Telegram calls
. . . as Moscow demands messaging apps hand over data to authorities; new Russian law expands online censorship and VPN restrictions
Russia announced Wednesday that it has imposed restrictions on voice calls made through WhatsApp and Telegram, intensifying its crackdown on digital platforms following the earlier ban on several Western social media networks.
The Russian communications watchdog, as quoted by RIA Novosti, said the move was aimed at “combating criminals,” accusing the two foreign messaging apps of enabling fraud and involving Russian citizens in acts deemed sabotage or terrorism.
The authorities in Moscow want these platforms to grant law enforcement access to user data for investigating fraud and what the nation classifies as terrorist activity. The Ministry of Digital Technologies stated that restrictions would be lifted once the services comply with Russian legislation.
Telegram responded by asserting that it actively removes harmful content, including calls for violence and fraud, deleting millions of posts daily.
Meta’s WhatsApp, meanwhile, emphasized its end-to-end encryption, claiming Russia’s actions are an attempt to undermine secure communication for over 100 million users in the country.
The move follows President Vladimir Putin’s July law imposing stricter curbs on online expression, including penalties for searching “extremist” content and a ban on promoting VPNs — tools widely used in Russia to bypass censorship. YouTube access in Russia now requires VPNs, while Facebook and Instagram have been blocked since 2022.
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