Russia bans Telegram and WhatsApp calls, new state app coming

Russia has imposed a partial ban on Telegram and WhatsApp call services. The country's Ministry of Digital Development claims that the move was taken because the information of users involved in crimes such as terrorism and fraud was not provided to law enforcement agencies.

On Wednesday (August 13), the communications regulator Roskomnadzor told the Russian news agency Interfax that limited restrictions have been imposed on the call facilities of foreign messenger apps to prevent the activities of criminals, but there are no restrictions on other features.

Telegram said that it has a strict policy against violence and fraud and that it deletes millions of suspicious messages every day using artificial intelligence (AI). But since August 11, Russian users have been unable to call Telegram and only occasionally hear metallic sounds during WhatsApp calls.

The Ministry of Digital Development has accused Telegram and WhatsApp of failing to take effective measures to curb crime despite repeated requests. Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the Russian parliament's IT committee, has made it clear that the ban will be lifted only if it complies with Russian law.

WhatsApp remained open even though Russia declared Meta an "extremist organization" in 2022. However, the app has been fined several times for not removing data. Recently, President Vladimir Putin approved the creation of a state-backed messenger app that will be integrated with government services. The government claims that this will ensure "digital sovereignty", but critics say it could increase surveillance and undermine privacy.

A report by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch said that the Russian government is tightening control over internet infrastructure so that anti-government websites and censorship-evading technologies can be easily blocked or slowed down.