Telegram app faces further restrictions, possible fines as Russian authorities clamp down

By Ekaterina Maksimova MOSCOW, Feb 10 (Reuters) – Telegram, an important platform for public and private communications in Russia, will face further restrictions from authorities because it has failed to correct previous violations, the state communications watchdog said on Tuesday. The watchdog, Roskomnadzor, began limiting voice and video calls via Telegram last August, when it took similar steps against Meta's WhatsApp. In a further clampdown on foreign-based tech providers, it blocked Apple's video-calling app FaceTime in December. Telegram's Russian-born founder, entrepreneur Pavel Durov, defended the app, saying it would remain committed to protecting freedom of speech and user privacy "no matter the pressure." In a statement on Tuesday, Roskomnadzor said a number of messaging apps, including Telegram, had not taken action over the past few months to address its complaints. "As before, Russian law is not being observed, personal data is not protected, and there are no effective measures to counter fraud and the use of the messaging app for criminal and terrorist purposes," it said. "Therefore, by decision of the authorized bodies, Roskomnadzor will continue to impose successive restrictions in order to ensure compliance with Russian legislation and ensure the protection of citizens." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, interviewed by state news agency TASS, said he had been made aware that Telegram was "not meeting the requirements of Russian legislation." "It is a great shame that the company is not carrying out laws that need to be observed," Peskov said. MOSCOW RESIDENTS CONCERNED AS TELEGRAM SLOWS  Telegram is used by newsmakers of all kinds – including the Kremlin, courts, media, celebrities and the exiled opposition – to distribute information instantly to a large audience. Military bloggers say it has also been used extensively by Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine. Durov, writing on his Telegram channel, accused authorities of curbing access to Telegram to push Russians toward a state-controlled alternative, likely referring to MAX messenger. "Restricting citizens' freedom is never the right answer," he wrote. "Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy, no matter the pressure." Several Muscovites told Reuters in street interviews they had observed the app was working less well. "I noticed it clearly today. My business is very tied up with it, so that's bad," said Roman, a media professional. He said it could cause problems for Russian firms that tend to rely on social networks rather than email to attract new clients. A young woman, Anna, said: "It's very bad because all my friends and family use Telegram. I don't know how I'm going to communicate with them because I don't want to move to other platforms." State news agency RIA reported separately that Telegram was facing fines of up to 64 million roubles ($830,000) in eight upcoming court hearings in connection with alleged failures to remove information required by Russian law. It said bailiffs were also seeking to collect another 9 million roubles in earlier, unpaid fines. Russia has placed curbs on foreign-based apps while rolling out the state-backed rival, MAX, which people are encouraged to use for access to government services, as well as for messaging. Critics say MAX could be used for surveillance, though state media have denied that. Russia tried and failed to block Telegram in 2018. It has also banned Meta's Facebook and Instagram, and restricted access to YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet's Google. ($1 = 77.3000 roubles) (Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov and Maxim Rodionov; writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Aidan Lewis, Ron Popeski, Rod Nickel)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)