Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said on Wednesday it has begun “partially” restricting voice calls on the WhatsApp and Telegram messaging apps, describing the move as necessary to fight fraud, extortion and what it called sabotage and terrorist activity. The curb, which leaves text messaging and voice notes intact, follows repeated but unanswered law-enforcement requests for the two foreign-owned platforms to share data, the regulator and the Digital Development and Communications Ministry said. Officials added that call functions could be restored once the companies “comply with Russian legislation.” WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, responded that the restriction targets its end-to-end-encrypted service and seeks to deny secure communication “to over 100 million” Russian users. Telegram said it already removes millions of malicious messages daily with the help of artificial-intelligence tools. WhatsApp reached 97.3 million users in Russia in July, ahead of Telegram’s 90.8 million and state-controlled VK Messenger’s 17.9 million, according to researcher Mediascope. Moscow is simultaneously promoting a new state-backed app, MAX, which it plans to integrate with government services and which critics say could expand official surveillance. The measure deepens the Kremlin’s years-long drive to tighten control over the internet. Since invading Ukraine in 2022, Russia has blocked Facebook and Instagram, throttled YouTube and passed legislation expanding online censorship and penalties for accessing content deemed extremist.
WhatsApp ya permite programar llamadas grupales desde la app https://t.co/duRVYrRG45 https://t.co/G0jBfU8MHK
WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, says it's concerned Russia is blocking voice calls to push users to other platforms where they can be monitored. https://t.co/ni7KvweVYl
Russian security services have frequently claimed that Ukraine was using Telegram to recruit people or commit acts of sabotage in Russia https://t.co/SoAzv4115u