Roskomnadzor Issues Ultimatum: WhatsApp at Risk of Total Ban Over Legal Compliance Issues

Russia’s state media regulator announced on Friday that it would implement new restrictions on WhatsApp due to what it described as ongoing violations of Russian law, warning that the app could be completely blocked if it does not comply.

Roskomnadzor accused the platform, owned by Meta, of being utilized for «organizing and executing terrorist activities,» in addition to facilitating fraud and other illegal activities, according to a statement reported by state media.

“WhatsApp is failing to meet requirements designed to prevent and combat criminal actions in Russia. Consequently, Roskomnadzor is continuously instituting restrictive measures,” the regulator stated, indicating that these restrictions “will be further intensified.”

This warning followed reports from Moscow residents experiencing significant issues accessing the app, with users across Russia noting similar disruptions in recent days.

In August, Roskomnadzor announced it was restricting voice and video calls on both WhatsApp and Telegram as part of what it labeled an anti-fraud campaign, a decision that faced criticism from both companies. Despite these limitations, WhatsApp remains the most popular messaging app in Russia.

On Friday, the regulator declared its intention to completely ban WhatsApp if the platform ignores its warnings and fails to align its operations with Russian legislation. It also encouraged users to switch to Max, a government-supported messaging alternative introduced earlier this year to replace foreign applications.

Max, which authorities advertise as a secure option for educational institutions and government agencies, is now required to be pre-installed on all smartphones and computers sold in Russia. Although its user base is expanding, it still trails significantly behind WhatsApp and Telegram.