Fears of Complete Shutdown of WhatsApp in Russia

WhatsApp, the messaging app of American technology company Meta, has claimed that Russian authorities are trying to completely block its services in the country, while Russia maintains that the path to dialogue is open if the app complies with local laws.

WhatsApp said in a statement on the social networking platform X that access to the app is being restricted in Russia. This situation has come to light against the backdrop of increasing tensions between Russia and foreign tech companies after the Ukraine war. According to reports, many users in Russia have been forced to use VPNs when the service was affected.

WhatsApp says that if a complete ban is imposed, the private and secure communication of its more than 100 million users in Russia could be severely affected. The company has expressed concerns that the move will affect ordinary users as well as business and personal communications.

The differences between Russia and Meta came to light after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russian communications watchdogs imposed various restrictions on WhatsApp and other foreign messaging apps last year, limiting calling features. Russian authorities allege that these platforms do not cooperate with law enforcement agencies in cases of fraud, terrorism and other crimes.

Later, Russian authorities indicated that they would gradually impose more restrictions on WhatsApp, saying that the app was being used for illegal activities. As a result of these restrictions, many users turned to alternative apps or VPNs, while other platforms, including Telegram, also came under government pressure.

A Kremlin spokesman told Russian media that WhatsApp’s full restoration in Russia is conditional on the company fully complying with Russian laws. It should be noted that Russia has previously restricted or blocked several foreign platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. Russian authorities are promoting the state-sponsored messaging app “Max” as an alternative to foreign apps, which is being tried to be used for government services.