Russia Blocks WhatsApp

Russia has removed WhatsApp, owned by Meta, from the internet registry managed by the regulator Roskomnadzor, effectively banning the service. According to the Financial Times, until recently, it was used by 100 million Russian users.

Russian authorities had begun imposing "some restrictions" on both WhatsApp and Telegram since last summer, affecting voice calls. WhatsApp usage slowed by 70% to 80% by December.

WhatsApp stated that the Russian government tried to block it completely, seeking to drive citizens to a state-controlled monitoring application, encouraging Russians to switch to the competing application MAX. The company added that it continues to do everything it can to keep users connected.

Source: skai