Russia on Friday signalled that it is considering a ban on WhatsApp, accusing the messaging platform of failing to comply with security requirements and prevent criminal activity.
The threat marks another step in Moscow’s broader effort to push citizens toward state-controlled digital platforms.
In a statement, Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, claimed WhatsApp is being used to coordinate what it described as terrorist activities, recruit individuals for violent acts, and facilitate widespread fraud targeting Russian citizens.
“If the messenger fails to comply with Russian legislation, it will be completely blocked,” the agency warned.
The move follows restrictions imposed in August, when authorities blocked WhatsApp’s call functions in a sweeping crackdown on Western-owned social media platforms. Critics say the campaign is aimed at driving Russians away from global technology companies and increasing state oversight of digital communication.
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Meta, the U.S. tech giant that owns WhatsApp, has not yet issued a response.
WhatsApp remains one of Russia’s two most widely used messaging services, alongside Telegram. Moscow has intensified pressure on both platforms to grant law enforcement access to user data, citing investigations into fraud and activities it classifies as terrorism.
Human rights advocates warn that such demands could deepen Russia’s expanding surveillance system and be used to pursue political critics, anti-war activists, and opponents of the Kremlin. They argue that granting authorities deeper access to private communications would erode digital privacy protections already weakened by years of state monitoring.
The latest warning underscores the government’s push to tighten information control at a time of heightened political sensitivity, ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and increasing restrictions on foreign technology firms.
