The biggest country on Earth to ban the most popular chat app on Earth
Reuters reports that a Russian lawmaker overseeing the IT sector stated how WhatsApp should prepare to exit the country. The app could find itself on a list of restricted software, because Russia wants to reduce its reliance on foreign platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Image by PhoneArena Last month, President Putin signed legislation authorizing the creation of a state-backed messaging platform, MAX, which will integrate government services. Another official commented that MAX could capture a larger share of the market if WhatsApp (currently used by 68% of Russians daily) is forced to leave. Yeah, I bet! Meta's social media platforms Facebook and Instagram have been banned in the country since 2022, following what happened that year.Meanwhile, Russian lawmakers have passed broad legal amendments imposing fines of up to 5,000 roubles ($63) on individuals searching for particular online content. This classification covers not only Facebook and Instagram but also opposition figures and activists. The move has faced criticism, even from pro-Kremlin voices like Margarita Simonyan, a state media executive, who argued that such measures could hinder journalists from investigating opposition groups.
Anton Nemkin, member of the parliamentary IT committee, asserted that WhatsApp's presence in Russia is now effectively decided, describing it as a threat to national security. Where have I heard that before? Right, from the White House, and it was about TikTok! Meanwhile, Google's YouTube is also on fire, and it has seen its Russian audience drop to fewer than 10 million daily users, down from over 40 million in mid-2024, due to throttled speeds.
Back in October 2024, a Russian court fined Google an astronomical $2.5 decillion, a figure equating to 23 million times all the money on Earth. The penalty originated from a 100,000-ruble ($1,032) fine in 2020 after YouTube restricted some accounts. Additional fines were imposed as Google banned other Russian state-backed media. Google's refusal to pay led the court to double the fine weekly for four years. Tensions worsened after Google disabled AdSense accounts and limited new Russian user accounts, following the bankruptcy of its Russian subsidiary in 2022.
Which app would you like to see banned in your own country? Let me know in the comments below!
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