Russia Threatens To Block Total WhatsApp For Not Complying With National Law

Roskomnadzor, again threatened to block WhatsApp completely (photo: x @DealBeeOfficial)

JAKARTA Russia's communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, again threatened to fully block WhatsApp after assessing that the instant messaging service failed to meet domestic legal requirements regarding the country's prevention and control of crimes.

The latest warning comes after restrictions imposed in August on parts of WhatsApp and Telegram calls, when authorities accused foreign platforms, including Meta, of refusing to share information with law enforcement officials in cases of fraud and terrorism.

"If this messaging service continues to not comply with Russia's laws and regulations, it will be completely blocked," Roskomnadzor was quoted as saying by Interfax.

On the other hand, WhatsApp accuses Moscow of trying to cut off the access of millions of Russians to safe communications.

This tough move comes as the government encourages a state-made competitor application called MAX. Critics say the app has the potential to be used to monitor users, while state media have denied the allegations.

Internet control in Russia has been tightened in recent months. Mobile internet outages have occurred in dozens of areas under the pretext of preventing Ukrainian drone attacks. The impact felt widespread, ranging from payment of failed transport due to unreadable cards, unconnected ATMs, to parents of children with diabetes who reported not being able to monitor blood sugar levels during the disruption.

According to monitoring group Na Sovizi, an average of 57 Russian regions experience cell phone network disruptions every day in November. The Kremlin stated the move was "very necessary".

But analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, Kateryna Stepanenko, said the blackout had not been proven to be effective in containing the intensity of Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in recent months.

In some areas, internet access during outages is limited to government-made online services that are whitelisted. This digital control deepens concerns about the shrinking communication space in Russia, while pressure on foreign platforms continues to rise.