Russia has signaled that it may completely ban WhatsApp, accusing the widely used messaging platform of failing to curb criminal activity amid the country’s intensified push to steer citizens toward state-controlled digital services.
The warning, issued on Friday, comes months after Moscow disabled voice calls on WhatsApp in August as part of a broader clampdown on Western-owned social platforms. Critics say the measures are aimed at driving Russians away from foreign apps and strengthening the government’s control over digital communication.
In a statement, Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, alleged that WhatsApp was being used to “organise and carry out terrorist acts in the country, to recruit perpetrators, and for fraud and other crimes against our citizens.”
The agency cautioned that “if the messenger fails to comply with Russian legislation, it will be completely blocked.” Meta, the U.S. tech company that owns WhatsApp, has not yet responded to the accusations.
WhatsApp, along with Telegram, remains one of the most widely used messaging platforms in Russia. Authorities are pressing both companies to grant law enforcement access to user data for fraud investigations and cases Moscow labels as “terrorist” activities.
Human rights groups warn that such demands could deepen government surveillance and potentially be used to target political dissent, including critics of President Vladimir Putin and opponents of the war in Ukraine.
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