August 12, 2024 at 11:54AM
Russia’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, blocked access to the Signal messaging app due to its violation of Russian legislation aimed at preventing terrorist and extremist use. The move is part of a broader crackdown on dissent and free media following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. YouTube also faced mass outages, with experts challenging the official explanation of equipment failure.
Key takeaways from the meeting notes are:
1. Russia’s state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has blocked access to the Signal messaging app due to its violation of Russian legislation and potential use for terrorist and extremist purposes.
2. Signal uses end-to-end encryption, making it challenging for the Russian government to intercept communications.
3. Russian authorities have expanded their crackdown on dissent and free media following President Putin’s decision to send troops into Ukraine in February 2022. This crackdown includes blocking independent Russian-language media outlets critical of the Kremlin and cutting access to social media platforms such as Twitter (later became X), Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, and YouTube.
4. YouTube faced mass outages on Thursday, with Russian authorities blaming Google’s failure to upgrade its equipment in Russia, while experts argue that the likely reason for the slowdowns and the latest outage was the Kremlin’s desire to shut public access to a major platform that carries opposition views.
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