Russia restricts calls via WhatsApp and Telegram
Russian authorities announced Wednesday they were 'partially' restricting calls in messaging apps Telegram and WhatsApp, the latest step in an effort to tighten control over the internet.
In a statement, government media and internet regulator Roskomnadzor justified the measure as necessary for fighting crime, saying that 'according to law enforcement agencies and numerous appeals from citizens, foreign messengers Telegram and WhatsApp have become the main voice services used to deceive and extort money.
The regulator also alleged that 'repeated requests to take countermeasures have been ignored by the owners of the messengers.' There was no immediate comment from either platform.
Russian authorities have long engaged in a deliberate and multipronged effort to rein in the internet. Over the years, they have adopted restrictive laws and banned websites and platforms that won't comply. Technology has been perfected to monitor and manipulate online traffic. While it's still possible to circumvent restrictions by using virtual private network services, those are routinely blocked, too.
Authorities further restricted internet access this summer with widespread shutdowns of cellphone internet connections.
Officials have insisted the measure was needed to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued it was another step to tighten internet control.Russia's Digital Development and Communications Ministry said this month that along with internet providers, it was working on a 'white list' of essential websites and services users could access during shutdowns.
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