WASHINGTON DC: Meta-owned WhatsApp on Thursday issued a statement alleging that the Russian Government attempted to block the messaging application in the country.
WhatsApp’s statement comes shortly after Telegram founder Pavel Durov accused Russia of restricting access to the application.
In a post on X, WhatsApp said, “Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app. Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia. We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected.”
Dmitry Peskov, Russian Presidential Press Secretary, told TASS that WhatsApp would be unblocked in Russia if Meta complies with Russian laws and demonstrates readiness for dialogue. “This is a matter of compliance with Russian laws. If Meta complies, it will enter into dialogue with the Russian authorities, and then there will be an opportunity to reach an agreement,” he said.
According to TASS, he further added, “If the corporation continues to cling to its uncompromising stance and, I would say, demonstrate absolute unwillingness to complies with Russian laws, then there will be no chances”.
TASS on Thursday said that Russia’s telecom watchdog confirmed to TASS that that it is taking measures to slow down WhatsApp over violations of Russian laws. It claimed that the messenger is used to organise and carry out terrorist activities in the country, and is also one of the main services used to defraud and extort money from citizens.
Earlier on Wednesday, Telegram founder Pavel Durov in a post on X had also alleged Russia of restricting access to the application. He wrote, “Russia is restricting access to Telegram to force its citizens onto a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship. This authoritarian move won’t change our course. Telegram stands for freedom and privacy, no matter the pressure.”
CNN reported on Wednesday the state-endorsed alternative is Max, an app the Russian government now requires to be pre-installed on all new smartphones and tablets sold in Russia. It further noted that users on Max can message each other, send money and make audio and video calls. (ANI)
