Source: Reuters
Summary
Russia’s state telecommunications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has enforced a ban on Telegram until June 22. The ban also requires the app to disable its message editing feature. Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, said the ban was unconstitutional and would not be effective. The ban was imposed after Telegram refused to provide encryption keys to Russian authorities. The move is part of a broader crackdown on online freedoms in Russia.
Our Reading
The announcement sounds ambitious.
Russia bans Telegram, again. Because that’s worked so well before. The “ban” includes disabling the app’s message editing feature, because that’s the real threat to national security. Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, is unsurprisingly unimpressed. The ban is just the latest in a long line of attempts to restrict online freedoms in Russia. And it’ll probably be just as effective as the last one.
Author: Evan Null
