Telegram, a key platform for public and private communications in Russia, will face further sanctions from authorities after it failed to correct previous violations, the state communications watchdog said on Tuesday.
State news agency RIA reported separately that Telegram faces fines of up to 64 million rubles ($830,000) in eight upcoming court hearings for failing to remove data required by Russian law. (Representational photo/AFP)The watchdog, Roskomnadzor, began restricting voice and video calls through Telegram last August, while it took similar action against Mater WhatsApp. In another clampdown on foreign-based technology providers, it blocked Apple’s video calling app FaceTime in December.
Telegram’s Russian-born founder, entrepreneur Pavel Durov, defended the app, saying it would remain committed to protecting free speech and user privacy “no matter the pressure.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Roskomnadzor said several messaging apps, including Telegram, had not taken steps to address their complaints over the past few months.
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“As before, Russian law is not being observed, personal data is not protected and there are no effective measures to prevent fraud and the use of messaging apps for criminal and terrorist purposes,” it said.
“Therefore, through the decisions of authorized bodies, Roskomnadzor will continue to impose a series of restrictions to ensure compliance with Russian law and ensure the protection of citizens.”
Telegram slowness worries Moscow residentsAll kinds of newsmakers — including the Kremlin, the courts, the media, celebrities and exiled opponents — use Telegram to instantly distribute information to a mass audience.
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Military bloggers say it is widely used by Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
Durov, writing on his Telegram channel, accused authorities of blocking access to Telegram to push Russians to a state-controlled alternative, possibly referring to Max Messenger.
“Restricting civil liberties is never the right answer,” he wrote. “Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy, no matter the pressure.”
Several Muscovites told Reuters in street interviews that they saw the app working less well.
“I noticed it clearly today. My business is very much tied to it, so it’s bad,” said Roman, a media professional. He said this could cause problems for Russian companies that rely on social networks rather than email to attract new clients.
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A young woman named Anna said: “It’s very bad because all my friends and family use Telegram. I don’t know how I’m going to contact them because I don’t want to switch to another platform.”
State news agency RIA reported separately that Telegram faces fines of up to 64 million rubles ($830,000) in eight upcoming court hearings for failing to remove data required by Russian law. It said the bailiffs had previously sought to collect another 9 million rubles in unpaid fines.
Russia has banned foreign-based apps while rolling out its state-backed rival, MAX, which people are encouraged to use for messaging as well as accessing government services. Critics say the MAX could be used for surveillance, although state media has denied this.
Russia tried to block Telegram in 2018 and failed. It also banned Meta Facebook and Instagram, and limited access to YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet’s Google. ($1 = 77.3000 rubles)
