Russia removes WhatsApp from internet regulator registry

Russian authorities have removed Meta-owned WhatsApp from an online registry maintained by the country’s internet regulator, according to Reuters, citing the Financial Times. The decision comes as Russian authorities are promoting a state-backed messaging app.

Reuters reported Wednesday that WhatsApp, which until recently had at least 100 million users in the country, was taken off the equivalent of an online directory run by the regulator.

“Today the Russian government has attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive users to a state-owned surveillance app,” WhatsApp said in a statement to the Financial Times.

Russian authorities are promoting a state-backed messaging app called MAX. Critics say the platform could be used to track users, while state media have rejected those claims, according to Reuters.

On Tuesday, Telegram founder Pavel Durov said Russia was restricting access to Telegram “in an attempt to force its citizens to switch to a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship.”

Russia has previously restricted or blocked several foreign social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.