December 13, 2024 at 01:17PM
Russian telecom authority Roskomnadzor has blocked the Viber app for violating local laws, citing concerns over terrorism, drug sales, and illegal content. This follows a court ruling and ongoing restrictions on various foreign messaging apps. Viber had over 1 billion downloads on Android before the ban.
### Meeting Takeaways
1. **Blocking of Viber**:
– The Russian telecommunications authority, Roskomnadzor, has blocked the Viber messaging app due to violations of national legislation concerning information dissemination.
2. **Regulatory Justifications**:
– The block was justified by the need to prevent the app from being used for illegal activities, including terrorism, drug sales, and dissemination of illegal information.
3. **Service Popularity**:
– Viber is widely used on both desktop and mobile devices, achieving over 1 billion downloads on Android and receiving significant ratings on iOS.
4. **Prior Legal Action**:
– In June 2023, a Moscow court fined Viber 1 million rubles for failing to remove illegal content related to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
5. **Historical Context**:
– Earlier in March 2023, Russia restricted the use of various foreign messaging apps by government agencies, which included Viber, WhatsApp, and others.
– Similar restrictions were imposed on the Signal messaging service in August 2023.
6. **VPN Restrictions**:
– Russia has banned multiple VPN services over the years, with significant actions taken in January 2020, June 2021, and December 2021. In August 2024, Apple was compelled to remove several VPN apps from the Russian App Store at Roskomnadzor’s request.
7. **Lack of Comment from Viber**:
– A Viber spokesperson has not responded to inquiries regarding the recent block.
These points outline the current regulatory challenges facing Viber in Russia and the broader context of restrictions on foreign messaging and VPN applications.