Due to Meta non-compliance, Russia bans WhatsApp and promotes the state-sponsored MAX messenger instead.

The US-based messaging app WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta Platforms, has been completely prohibited in Russia due to what the Kremlin claims is the company’s disregard for local regulations. The action is part of a larger campaign by Russian authorities to support MAX, a state-sponsored “national messenger.”

Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Kremlin, confirmed the decision on Thursday, stating that Meta’s non-compliance was the reason the government had put the block in place.
“Due to Meta’s unwillingness to comply with Russian law, such a decision was indeed made and implemented,” Peskov told reporters, urging citizens to switch to MAX. “MAX is an accessible alternative, a developing messenger, a national messenger, and it is available on the market for citizens as an alternative,” he said.
Russian authorities refute the accusation that MAX is a monitoring tool, which has been made by critics. According to officials, the platform attempts to make citizens’ daily life easier by integrating a number of government-related services.

The action, which comes after WhatsApp has been under increasing pressure for six months, is part of Moscow’s larger endeavor to create what it refers to as a “sovereign” communications infrastructure, especially during times of conflict. Under this arrangement, foreign tech firms risk being kicked from the market if they don’t follow Russian regulations.The designation of Meta Russia as an extremist organization has already been made. Prior to this, WhatsApp claimed that authorities were trying to completely restrict its service.
Russian authorities refute the accusation that MAX is a monitoring tool, which has been made by critics. According to officials, the platform attempts to make citizens’ daily life easier by integrating a number of government-related services.

The action, which comes after WhatsApp has been under increasing pressure for six months, is part of Moscow’s larger endeavor to create what it refers to as a “sovereign” communications infrastructure, especially during times of conflict. Under this arrangement, foreign tech firms risk being kicked from the market if they don’t follow Russian regulations.The designation of Meta Russia as an extremist organization has already been made. Prior to this, WhatsApp claimed that authorities were trying to completely restrict its service.
“Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app,” the company said in a statement.
“Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia”.
Some domain names linked to WhatsApp vanished from Russia’s national domain name registry after the most recent actions. As a result, the app’s IP addresses were no longer sent to devices within Russia, requiring access via a virtual private network (VPN).
In August, authorities had already imposed restrictions on WhatsApp and other messaging apps, preventing users from making phone calls on the platforms. Foreign-owned platforms were accused by officials of not providing information to law enforcement in situations of terrorism and fraud.WhatsApp has been penalized numerous times by Russian courts for failing to remove prohibited content. In order to comply with the law, authorities have also demanded that the corporation establish a local representative office in Russia, which it has not done.