Representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Vadym Skibitskyi stated that international social networks are being systematically pushed out of the RF to ensure control by special services. Telegram and WhatsApp remain the most popular.
Russia is implementing cyber-vigilantes to monitor the internet and report on youth. The plan to combat destructive behavior will be in effect until 2030.
Ursula von der Leyen stated that the Kremlin is restricting the internet to hide inflation. Russians have found themselves behind a digital iron curtain due to the impact of sanctions.
A court in Germany has ordered a police officer to visit Auschwitz for posting a Nazi slogan on social media. Instead of the trip, he may pay a fine of 4,200 euros.
The Belarusian authorities are introducing a limit of 30 GB per month and reducing network speed. Users complain about unstable connection and service interruptions.
Russia is restricting social media to prevent riots due to a possible large-scale mobilization. The president suggests preparations for an offensive against Ukraine or the Baltic states.
The President of Ukraine believes that the restriction of the messenger's operation is related to the Russians' preparation for unpopular decisions. This could be an escalation or the end of the war.
Due to Roskomnadzor's actions, banking applications and public services were blocked in Russia. Algorithms mistakenly identified legitimate traffic as hostile VPN requests.
The dictator's approval rating fell to 71% amid restrictions on the messenger's operation. Discontent is growing among military bloggers and small businesses in Russia.
A Los Angeles court found Meta and Google guilty of intentionally creating addictive platforms. The victim will receive compensation for damage to mental health.
A New Mexico court fined Meta $375 million for concealing facts about child exploitation. The company plans to appeal the decision in May.
Russian special services are stealing access to messengers of officials and military personnel through confirmation codes. Encryption has not been broken; the cause is the human factor.
Russian authorities daily disconnect mobile internet in large cities to prepare for protests. The government is implementing the experience of China and Iran for complete control.
The enemy is attacking military personnel and officials using social engineering methods to obtain PIN codes. Attackers are using fake support chatbots.
Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Vereshchuk emphasized the systemic use of Telegram by the enemy for recruitment and coordination of terrorist attacks. Experts expressed doubts about the effectiveness of blocking the messenger.
Spanish authorities have appealed to the prosecutor's office, demanding a criminal investigation into X, Meta, and TikTok. This is due to the creation and dissemination of sexualized deepfakes using their artificial intelligence tools.
Roskomnadzor will completely block Telegram in Russia from April 1, 2026. This will happen by analogy with Instagram and Facebook, the application will not be downloaded via mobile and fixed networks.
Russia is blocking WhatsApp and other Western platforms to regain control over the information space. The Kremlin aims to transfer Russians to the state messenger Max.
The blocking of Telegram in Russia provokes the degradation of small businesses, as the messenger is a key platform for marketing and communication. This demonstrates the Russian leadership's reliance on conservative groups and its desire for digital isolation of society.
Russian authorities effectively blocked the WhatsApp messenger on February 11, making it inaccessible without complex workarounds. The application has also been removed from Roskomnadzor's online catalog.
The EU's top court has allowed WhatsApp to appeal a €225 million fine for privacy violations. This decision paves the way for Meta to challenge other multi-billion euro fines.
Russia's internet watchdog is slowing down Telegram's operations due to legal violations. Moscow is trying to force Russians to use the more tightly controlled domestic online service Max.
The European Commission will ask Meta to suspend new terms that prohibit rival AI chatbots from using WhatsApp. This is due to concerns that Meta is violating the bloc's antitrust rules.
Mark Zuckerberg is reorienting Meta towards an AI-generated social media feed, considering it the next big media format. This will allow for the creation of personalized and interactive content, moving away from the metaverse concept.
Users of American TikTok are reporting outages in the app, prompting them to switch to alternative applications. The problems arose due to a power outage at one of Oracle's data centers.
France will ban civil servants from using American video conferencing platforms. This decision is part of efforts to transfer government activities to its own technological platform.
A group of plaintiffs has filed a lawsuit in a US court against Meta Platforms, accusing the company of making false statements regarding the privacy and security of messages on WhatsApp. The plaintiffs claim that Meta has access to users' "private" messages.
Meta Platforms has agreed to acquire Singaporean AI startup Manus, which conducts in-depth research and performs tasks for paying users. The deal is valued at over $2 billion, with Manus maintaining independent operations while integrating its agents into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Russia is aggressively forcing citizens to use the state messenger Max, which is becoming a tool of control. Schoolchildren and students face threats for refusing to install the application, and in the occupied territories, Max only works with Russian and Belarusian SIM cards, isolating Ukrainians.
Russians have massively encountered problems using the WhatsApp messenger, with reports of a 70-80% slowdown in its operation by Roskomnadzor. In less than a full day on December 22, over 2,100 complaints about the app's performance were received from 20 regions of Russia.
