Russian authorities block Viber messaging app

Details: Written by: Olena Goncharova; 14.Dec; Hits: 16

Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, announced on Dec. 13 that it had blocked access to the Viber messaging app. The move is part of a broader crackdown on social media platforms by Russian authorities.

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According to Roskomnadzor, the ban was imposed due to alleged violations of regulations aimed at combating terrorism, extremism, and drug trafficking.Viber had a significant presence in Russia, with approximately 26% of the Russian population aged 12 and older using the app as of October 2023. About 14% of users accessed it daily, according to reports by state-owned TASS news agency. In 2023, Viber was fined one million rubles (approximately $11,880) for failing to remove content deemed "false" regarding Russia's war in Ukraine. Additionally, Russian authorities restricted access to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook in 2022, shortly after the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Following these actions, Russia also imposed a complete ban on Facebook and Instagram in March 2022. As of December 2024, Viber has faced fines totaling over 1.8 million rubles (around $17,402) for violations of national legislation.

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https://kyivindependent.com/russian-authorities-block-viber-messaging-app/

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