Russia moves to block WhatsApp as encrypted chats defy state control

WhatsApp said over 100 million Russians risk losing end-to-end encrypted communication, while Telegram ramps up AI moderation to remove millions of harmful messages daily.

MOSCOW: WhatsApp said Russia was trying to block its services because the social media messaging app owned by Meta Platforms offered people's right to secure communication, and vowed to continue trying to make encrypted services available in Russia.

Russia has started restricting some Telegram and WhatsApp calls, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases.

"WhatsApp is private, end-to-end encrypted, and defies government attempts to violate people's right to secure communication, which is why Russia is trying to block it from over 100 million Russian people," WhatsApp said in a statement.

"We will keep doing all we can to make end-to-end encrypted communication available to people everywhere, including in Russia."

Telegram said its moderators were using AI tools to monitor public parts of the platform to remove millions of malicious messages every day.

"Telegram actively combats harmful use of its platform including calls for sabotage or violence and fraud," Telegram said in a statement.

Russia has clashed with foreign tech platforms for several years over content and data storage in a simmering dispute that intensified after Moscow's sent its army into Ukraine in February 2022, with critics saying that Russia is trying to expand its control over the country's internet space.