- Russia has officially blocked WhatsApp in the country over non-compliance with local laws.
- The Kremlin urges users to switch to domestic messenger Max
- Meanwhile, WhatsApp said it is only trying to keep users connected
Russia has officially blocked the widely used messaging app WhatsApp for failing to comply with local laws, the Kremlin announced on Thursday, February 12, advising its 100 million users to switch to a domestic platform.
For months, Moscow has encouraged Russian users to move to Max, a local messaging service that does not offer end-to-end encryption and which activists have warned could be used for government surveillance.
“As for the blocking of WhatsApp … such a decision was indeed made and implemented,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Peskov explained that the move was prompted by WhatsApp’s “reluctance to comply with the norms and letter of Russian law.”
He added that “Max is an accessible alternative, a developing messenger, a national messenger. And it is an alternative available on the market for citizens.”
WhatsApp, owned by US social media company Meta, said on Wednesday, February 11, that it believed Russia’s actions were an effort to force users onto Max. “We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected,” the company stated.
Rights groups and critics argue that these restrictions are a clear attempt by the Kremlin to tighten control and increase surveillance over internet activity in Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia’s internet watchdog announced on Tuesday, February 10, that it would impose “phased restrictions” on Telegram, accusing the messaging platform of similarly failing to follow local legislation.