On Friday, Russia announced that it is considering banning the popular messaging service WhatsApp, accusing it of failing to prevent criminal activity.
This move comes as Moscow continues efforts to push Russian citizens toward state-supported digital services.
In August, Russia had already blocked users from making calls via WhatsApp as part of a broader crackdown on Western-owned social media platforms. Critics say these measures are aimed at forcing Russians to use domestic platforms.
In a statement, the Russian communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, claimed that WhatsApp was being used “to organize and carry out terrorist acts in the country, recruit perpetrators, as well as for fraud and other crimes against our citizens.”
“If it does not comply with Russian legislation, it will be completely blocked,” the statement added.
The U.S. tech giant Meta, which owns WhatsApp, has not yet commented, according to RFE/RL.
WhatsApp remains one of the two most popular messaging services in Russia, alongside Telegram. Moscow demands that both platforms provide access to data upon request by law enforcement for fraud investigations and activities Russia labels as “terrorist.”
Human rights defenders fear that this could expand state surveillance in Russia and be used to target critics of the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin, or the war in Ukraine.
