WhatsApp accuses Russia of intentionally slowing service for millions

Following a recent throttling that disrupted communication on WhatsApp on Tuesday, the platform has accused Russian authorities of deliberately depriving over 100 million Russians of their right to private communications ahead of the holiday season.

The Meta-owned social media platform raised concerns about restrictions in place that hinder Russian WhatsApp users' access to the messaging service.

The complaint follows a warning from Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, which threatened to completely block WhatsApp if the platform did not comply with local laws.

According to Roskomnadzor, WhatsApp is continuously violating Russian law and has been used to organise terrorist acts, recruit perpetrators, and defraud citizens. In response, the regulator confirmed it would gradually restrict access to the messaging platform.

According to monitoring websites, many Russians reported outages and slowdowns on Tuesday.

A WhatsApp spokesperson stated: “In restricting access to WhatsApp, the Russian government aims to take away the right to private, end-to-end encrypted communication from over 100 million people, right before the holiday season.”

He emphasised WhatsApp's integral role in various communities across Russia, from family chats to workplace groups, and expressed commitment to fighting to secure users' due right to communication.

Russia began limiting calls on WhatsApp and Telegram in August, citing these platforms' refusal to share information with law enforcement regarding alleged fraud and terrorism.

The Russian government is also promoting a state-backed messaging app called MAX as an alternative to WhatsApp, which critics argue could be used to track users. However, authorities have denied these accusations, claiming MAX is intended to improve citizens' everyday lives by integrating government services.