Pavel Durov says Russia is restricting Telegram to push users toward a state-made app for surveillance

Pavel Durov says Russian officials are now blocking access to Telegram because they want people to start using a government app that spies on users. He said the same thing happened in Iran eight years ago.

Back then, Iran banned Telegram, made up excuses, and pushed people toward its own tool. But it didn’t work. Most people kept using Telegram anyway. Durov said this new crackdown in Russia is just another case of the state trying to force control over communication.

Durov wrote, “Russia is restricting access to Telegram in an attempt to force its citizens to switch to a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship.” He also said, “Restricting citizens’ freedom is never the right answer.”

Russian agency says Telegram broke rules and will be punished

The Russian government watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said on Tuesday that Telegram would face even more restrictions. The agency said the app didn’t fix problems it was warned about earlier.

Officials started limiting voice and video calls in August. That same month, they did the same thing to WhatsApp. Then, in December, they blocked Apple’s FaceTime.

Roskomnadzor said Telegram and other messaging apps failed to follow Russian laws. It complained that the apps don’t protect user data and don’t do enough to stop scams or terrorism.

“Russian law is not being observed, personal data is not protected,” the agency said. “There are no effective measures to counter fraud and the use of the messaging app for criminal and terrorist purposes.” Because of that, more limits are coming.

People in Moscow are starting to notice that Telegram is running slower. The app is used by the Kremlin, the courts, news outlets, influencers, and even groups that have left the country. Military bloggers say it’s also a key tool for soldiers in Ukraine.

A man named Roman, who works in media, told reporters, “I noticed it clearly today. My business is very tied up with it, so that’s bad.” He said Russian companies rely on Telegram more than email to talk to new clients.

Another user, Anna, said, “It’s very bad because all my friends and family use Telegram. I don’t want to move to other platforms.”

On top of all this, state news agency RIA said Telegram has eight court hearings coming up. It’s facing fines of up to 64 million roubles, or $830,000. Bailiffs are also trying to collect another 9 million roubles from older fines.

Russia is also promoting its own app, MAX, while pushing Telegram out of the way. MAX is being used for messaging and getting government services. Critics say it’s built for surveillance.

The government says that’s not true. Russia already tried and failed to ban Telegram in 2018. Since then, it has blocked Facebook and Instagram and made YouTube harder to access.

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