Russian Lawmaker Urges WhatsApp Ban For State Employees

A Russian lawmaker on Wednesday urged state institutions to stop using WhatsApp messenger and the industry ministry sought to promote domestically produced software as Russia tries to wean itself off Western technology. From a report: WhatsApp owner Meta Platforms was found guilty of "extremist activity" in Russia in March and later added to financial monitoring agency Rosfinmonitoring's list of "terrorists and extremists." Meta's lawyer in court has said Meta was not carrying out extremist activity and was against Russophobia. Russia blocked Meta's Facebook and Instagram in March, objecting to restrictions on Russian media and some posts permitted by users in Ukraine. Widely used among Russians, WhatsApp has always remained available, but Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the Russian parliament's committee on information policy, on Wednesday said he personally would be deleting the app and recommended a wider ban.

Re:

[Opportunist]

By now it should be general knowledge that Putin doesn't like competition, so it should come as no surprise that he doesn't like a company that spies on his subjects and tells them what to think.

Nothing to do with domestically produced software

[CohibaVancouver]

This Russian ban has nothing to do with "domestically produced software" and everything to do with the fact that the Russian state can't crack the WhatsApp end-to-end encryption and monitor what people in Russia are saying about Putin, the war etc.

Re:Nothing to do with domestically produced softwa

[timeOday]

To be fair there are also ample valid reasons why state institutions should avoid foreign-hosted apps to communicate, during wartime no less.

The can't be "wartime" without having "war"

[cbraescu1]

So far, Russia only has a special military operation. Not a war.

Re:

[Kitkoan]

Could also be a part of the fact that it's owned by Facebook, which is a part of the US's NSA PRISM program. Russia could be worried about just how much power does PRISM actually have/allow with something like WhatsApp (especially when it's declared as part of military security by the US gov). It would be safer to just not use it than figure out the hard way.

Re:

[CohibaVancouver]

I suppose - But strikes me having a platform where Russians can talk dirt on Putin and his regime consequence-free is of much greater concern to them than the fact that WhatsApp may be compromised - Because even if the NSA can read WhatsApp chats it's likely the case that Russia can't.

Re:

[NoWayNoShapeNoForm]

"Our Ukrainian cryptologists are better than their Ukrainian cryptologists."

Loosely borrowed from this line in "The Right Stuff":

"Our German scientists are better than their German scientists."

sounds like a good idea

[iwrks]

maybe it should go global... odd to have such a good idea coming from the current Russian gov. maybe add twitter, facebook etc?

They're welcome

[guygo]

to take Truth Social anytime.

Re:

[Opportunist]

But Putin wants his own Truth Social. With Vodka. And Borscht.

Re:

[dimko]

Borscht is Ukrainian dish, you insensitive clod!

Re:

[Opportunist]

As if that was anything Putin cared about. He already annexes and occupies land and people, you think he would stop at dishes?

Re:

[sg_oneill]

They already have it. VK is a friggin' mess.

I've had russian friends laugh when I've complained about american far right people dogpiling on every god damn conversation anywhere on the net and how it makes using social media unpleasant when talking with friends on anything that you cant lock the audience down without being zerged by red hats and say "Its nothing, VK is 100 times worse for that, and then the next day FSB with guns visit you ."

Looks like

[Ol Olsoc]

Russia is copying the North Korea playbook.

Re:

[MachineShedFred]

Why not? They are following the same glide path, and North Korea has been at it longer. May as well learn from the trailblazer...

Re:

[Ol Olsoc]

Why not? They are following the same glide path, and North Korea has been at it longer. May as well learn from the trailblazer...

Ever see the video of the North Koreans who were eating clay?

Maybe the Russian Citizens can marinate their clay in Vodka.

Re:

[Max_W]

Ever see the video of the North Koreans who were eating clay?

Surprisingly the obesity rate in North Korea is higher than in South Korea, China, India, and Japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[willkane]

Exactly.
It should be banned in any Government that consider its security responsibly.
Regarding a wider ban... I would just do the same as with cigarettes:
I would forced Meta to show a banner saying how toxic, insecure and dangerous is to use their programs.