Russia Blocks Signal Messaging App Due to Violations of Legislation, Tighten Control Over Information: Report

Russia has reportedly blocked access to the Signal messaging app due to its failure to comply with legal requirements aimed at preventing terrorism and extremism.

Signal Logo (Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons)

New Delhi, August 12: Russia has reportedly blocked access to the Signal messaging app, citing violations of legislation. As per reports, the Signal messaging app failed to comply with legal requirements necessary to prevent terrorism and extremism, leading to its ban in the country. The decision of Russia to block Signal is reportedly to tighten control over information in the context of tensions going with the Ukraine conflict.

As per a report of Interfax, the Russian telecom watchdog Roskomnadzor has restricted user access to Signal across Russia due to violations of legislative requirements. The restrictions are tied to anti-terrorism and anti-extremism laws. According to multiple reports, there were issues with the Signal messenger app in Russia, as many users complained about the glitches with the messaging app. Signal is a secure communication tool that is used by around a million Russians to encrypt their messages and conversations. Cartoon Network Shutdown: Warner Bros Shuts Down Cartoon Network Website; Find Out Where To Watch Your Favourite Shows.

According to a report of ABP Live, internet monitoring services identified over 1,500 complaints about the Signal app not functioning properly. The majority of these complaints came from the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg. As per reports, Roskomnadzor, said, "Access to the Signal messaging app is blocked in connection with violation of the requirements of Russian legislation which must be complied with to prevent the use of messaging apps for terrorist and extremist aims." Elon Musk’s X Facing Nine Privacy Complaint From NOYB Over Using EU Users’ Data for Training Grok AI Chatbot: Report.

Some users in Moscow and the Krasnodar region reportedly had trouble creating a new account on Signal without using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). When they tried to enter their mobile number, the app showed a "Server Error" message. However, some users found that the app worked fine when they accessed it through a VPN or by using the built-in censorship bypass mode.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2024 02:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

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