Is Russia about to pull the plug on WhatsApp? The messaging giant says the Kremlin has “attempted to fully block” its service.
This is a move that could cut off more than 100 million users from what it calls “private and secure communication.”
WhatsApp claims the real goal is to funnel people onto Max.
Max is a state-developed “super-app” that blends messaging with government services, but notably lacks end-to-end encryption.
Sound familiar? Think WeChat in China — convenient, powerful, and closely watched.
Russian regulators argue WhatsApp and Telegram have refused to store user data on Russian soil, as required by law.
Telegram has already faced tighter restrictions. And state media report WhatsApp could be permanently blocked in 2026.
Digital Surveillance Debate
Officials insist such “harsh measures” are justified because Meta is designated an “extremist organisation” in Russia.
A label that already pushed Instagram and Facebook behind VPN walls.
Since 2025, Max has been mandatory on new devices. Teachers, students, public workers? Required to use it.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov didn’t mince words, accusing Moscow of steering citizens toward “surveillance and political censorship.”
He added, “Restricting citizens’ freedom is never the right answer.”
So here’s the bigger question: in a digital age, who controls the conversation — the people typing, or the state reading over their shoulder?
