Russia's Digital Iron Curtain: WhatsApp next on the chopping block

Date:
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:31:59 +0000

Description:
Russia's communications regulator has threatened a complete ban on WhatsApp. The move comes as the Kremlin's crackdown on internet freedom intensifies.

FULL STORY

Russia has escalated its clampdown on internet freedom, with the country's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, threatening a complete ban on the popular messaging service WhatsApp.

As reported by the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta , the agency
has accused the Meta-owned platform of being used for "organising and
carrying out terrorist activity," and for failing to comply with Russian law.

This is the latest in a series of moves by the Kremlin to control the flow of information within its borders, a trend that has been escalating since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

While gradual restrictions have already been implemented against WhatsApp for months , including the blocking of voice calls since August, a full ban would be a major blow to digital communication in the country. This, in an environment where the use of the best VPN apps is also increasingly
restricted.

The estimated 97 million WhatsApp users in Russia would be, in fact, stripped of their ability to communicate freely and securely, hindering both personal privacy and business operations. With Signal already being blocked since
2024, users could be pushed towards state-controlled alternatives like the
new MAX app, which experts warn has an " enormous surveillance potential ."

WhatsApp has so far resisted the demands of the Russian government, vowing to "keep doing all we can to make end-to-end encrypted communication available
to people everywhere, including in Russia" Reuters reported . The company
has framed the issue as a defense of the "right to secure communication," a stance that places it in direct opposition to the Kremlin's increasingly
tight control over the digital sphere.

Russia's widening digital censorship

The threat against WhatsApp is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a broader, more systematic effort by the Russian government to silence dissent and control the online landscape.

It comes as Russia also designated Human Rights Watch as an "undesirable" organization , effectively banning its work in the country. This designation
is part of a wider trend of labeling any group that criticizes the government as a threat to state security.

Since September, the Russian government has also been forcing smartphone
makers to pre-install its own state-backed messenger app , MAX, raising concerns about surveillance.

The government has also introduced a bill recently that would require telecom operators to suspend services at the request of the FSB, further solidifying the state's control over communication channels.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/russias-digital-iron-curtai n-whatsapp-next-on-the-chopping-block

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