WhatsApp should prepare to stop operating in Russia, official says

A Russian official has warned that WhatsApp, owned by Meta, should prepare to stop operating in the country. Anton Gorelkin, the deputy head of the lower house of parliament's IT committee, stated that it is highly likely that WhatsApp will be placed on a list of restricted software, as Russia continues to restrict foreign tech companies after its invasion of Ukraine. WhatsApp is facing this potential restriction as Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been designated as an extremist organization in Russia. The country has already banned Facebook and Instagram, and President Vladimir Putin has issued a directive to further restrict software, including communication apps, from "unfriendly countries" that have imposed sanctions on Russia, with a deadline of September 1. This move to potentially restrict WhatsApp is part of Russia's broader effort to rely more on domestic services and less on foreign tech companies, some of which have withdrawn or scaled down operations in the country following the Ukraine invasion. The article suggests that forcing WhatsApp to stop operating in Russia could benefit the state-backed messaging app that the government is developing as a replacement.