Roskomnadzor Signals Potential Total Ban on WhatsApp Amidst Ongoing Legal Disputes

On Friday, Russia’s state media regulator announced the introduction of new restrictions on WhatsApp due to what it described as ongoing violations of Russian law. The regulator, Roskomnadzor, indicated that the messaging service could face a complete ban if it does not comply with the requirements.

According to a statement reported by state media, Roskomnadzor accused the Meta-owned platform of being exploited «to organize and execute terrorist activities,» as well as assisting in fraud and other illegal activities.

«WhatsApp is failing to meet the obligations necessary to prevent and deter crimes in Russia. Consequently, Roskomnadzor is systematically implementing restrictive measures,» the agency stated, emphasizing that these restrictions «will be progressively intensified.»

This warning follows numerous reports from residents of Moscow about difficulties accessing the app, with users across the country experiencing similar issues in recent days.

In August, Roskomnadzor announced limitations on voice and video calls on both WhatsApp and Telegram as part of what it characterized as an anti-fraud effort, a decision that drew criticism from both companies. Despite these limitations, WhatsApp continues to be the most popular messaging application in Russia.

On Friday, the regulator stated that it would proceed with an outright block of WhatsApp if the platform ignored its warnings and did not align its operations with Russian law. Additionally, users were encouraged to transition to Max, a government-supported messaging platform launched earlier this year as a substitute for foreign applications.

Max, which is promoted by authorities as a secure platform for educational institutions and state agencies, is now required to be pre-installed on all smartphones and computers sold in Russia. Although its user base is growing, it remains significantly smaller than that of WhatsApp and Telegram.