Russia more notably doesn’t seem too concerned about people using WhatsApp for mass communication or information gathering. WhatsApp likely hasn’t been banned yet due to its popularity: It’s the most widely-used messaging app in the country, and Russians don’t really have an alternative to the platform (although the country is reportedly trying to make ICQ messenger a thing again). Those numbers are presumably much higher in the wake of Instagram and Facebook’s ban. Now, WhatsApp and Telegram are two of the last apps standing.Īs of August 2021, around 38 million Russians were using Telegram, while close to 77 million Russians were on WhatsApp, according to data from Statista. Twitter has also been soft blocked in the country. A Russian court later declared Meta guilty of “extremist” activities. And while the odds that the Kremlin cracks down on them are unlikely, it’s not impossible.Īfter Facebook parent company Meta said it would allow posts calling for violence against Russian soldiers, the country blocked access to both Facebook and Instagram. WhatsApp and Telegram are two of the last social media apps remaining in Russia.