Putin wants to get rid of Whatsapp and Telegram and is building a new app
On Tuesday, Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin signed into law a provision allowing for the creation of a state-run messaging app that will be directly connected to government agencies. This is Moscow’s latest attempt to decrease its dependency on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
Russia has been pursuing what it terms as “digital dominance” for quite some time, with a particular focus on promoting domestic services. This campaign has been ramped up since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which led many Western tech companies to withdraw from the Russian market.
Russian MPs argue that the state-run app will provide features that are not available on Meta’s Telegram and WhatsApp. However, critics warn that state control of the app could pose significant threats to privacy and personal freedoms.
Mikhail Klimarev, the director of the Organization for Internet Protection – a Russian digital rights advocacy group – suggested earlier this month that the Russian government might intentionally throttle access speeds to WhatsApp and Telegram to encourage users to migrate to the new state-run app.
Information sourced from Reuters
