Russia bans foreign messaging apps
Everything from Teams to Discord
The Russian internet watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has banned several foreign messaging applications from being used in government and state agencies.
The move follows the enactment of a law known as On information, information technology, and information protection.
The section of the law controlling the use of apps like WhatsApp and Telegram is Part 8-10 of Article 10, which prohibits Russian agencies from utilising foreign-owned information exchange systems.
"The law establishes a ban for a number of Russian organisations on the use of foreign messengers (information systems and computer programs owned by foreign persons that are designed and (or) used for exchanging messages exclusively between their users, in which the sender determines the recipients of messages and does not provide for placement by Internet users publicly available information on the Internet)," Roskomnadzor noted in a translated statement on its portal.
The agency specifically noted the following services as being banned:
- Microsoft Teams
- Skype for Business
- Discord
- Snapchat
- Telegram
- Threema
- Viber
It is noteworthy that the roster of prohibited apps excludes Zoom, which is among the most extensively used video conferencing, instant messaging and voice calls services globally.
Similarly, the ban doesn't explicitly mention encrypted messaging application Signal.
Russia banned Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, last March after Roskomnadzor, declared that they were being used to incite violence against Russian soldiers.
Subsequently, a Russian court ruled that Meta had engaged in "extremist activities" by allowing users to post threats of violence and death against Russian soldiers and President Vladimir Putin.
However, the court did not then ban Meta-owned WhatsApp in the country, as it was considered a messaging platform rather than a social network.
"The decision does not apply to the activities of Meta's messenger WhatsApp, due to its lack of functionality for the public dissemination of information," the court said.
Also last year, Roskomnadzor banned the Google News service, claiming the platform was spreading false information about the war in Ukraine.
Roskomnadzor also restricted access to several foreign news channels such as the BBC, Voice of America, DW and Radio Free Europe, contending that they were propagating misleading information about the invasion.
In January, the State Duma proposed the development of a national VPN service, for those who require one to remain productive while working in the country - and to prevent anyone avoiding surveillance.
The majority of reliable VPN products have been prohibited in Russia. Those bans came in two waves, in January 2020 and December 2021.