September 20, 2023

The End of WhatsApp in Russia?


The End of WhatsApp in Russia?
WhatsApp installed on a phone. Dimitri Karastelev, Unsplash.

Russian lawmakers have proposed restricting access to WhatsApp, a popular and secure messaging app, in response to the platform's newly introduced "channels" feature.

WhatsApp's latest update, released on September 13, piloted its new "channel" function in over 150 countries. A multitude of organizations, sports teams, artists, and influential figures have begun establishing their channels. In a few months, this feature will become accessible to all users. 

"If the product of the extremist company Meta begins to expand the functionality towards the mass dissemination of information, the official position regarding its activities in the territory of the Russian Federation may be revised," said Anton Gorelkin, a State Duma deputy.

Viktor Bondarev, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, said he believes that the introduction of WhatsApp channels may transform the platform into a tool for information warfare and a breeding ground for disinformation regarding Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

Mikhail Klimarev, president of Russia's Internet Protection Society, said individuals whose WhatsApp accounts are tied to mobile numbers starting with the country code +7 will not be able to access these channels. In other words, people living in Russia and Kazakhstan would be blocked from the feature.

WhatsApp is a subsidiary of Meta, which was designated as an "extremist organization" in March 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This led to the banning of Facebook and Instagram in the country. However, WhatsApp, which securely encrypts messages, remained unaffected by the restrictions.

You Might Also Like

Is Wikipedia Next?
  • April 09, 2023

Is Wikipedia Next?

The Russian government ordered Wikipedia to delete 133 pages about its war on Ukraine. Now the online encyclopedia may be banned in Russia altogether.
Bye-Bye, YouTube?
  • February 23, 2023

Bye-Bye, YouTube?

The news outlet Meduza has suggested that it is likely the Russian government will block YouTube in the near future.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955