The Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, known as Roskomnadzor, has announced its intention to fully block the messaging app WhatsApp within Russia. The agency stated that the platform must comply with Russian laws, which include requirements related to data storage and content regulation, or face complete service shutdown.
Users across Russia have begun experiencing widespread disruptions to their WhatsApp service, with reports indicating that the messaging platform is becoming increasingly inaccessible. The outages have raised concern among users about the potential impact on personal and business communications, as WhatsApp remains a popular tool within the country.
The move comes amid ongoing tensions between Russian authorities and international technology companies over internet regulation and data security. It is not yet clear when or if the complete ban on WhatsApp will be implemented, but the threat indicates a possible escalation in Russia’s efforts to tighten control over online communications. The company behind WhatsApp has yet to issue an official statement in response to these developments.