Two possible scenarios are being considered: completely blocking phone calls in apps or banning calls from abroad
Russia’s digital development ministry and telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor are looking into blocking phone calls on messaging apps, writes the Kommersant newspaper.
According to the information, both the ministry and the supervisory authority are considering two possible scenarios: the complete blocking of phone calls in the applications or the prohibition of calls from abroad.
Typically, the possible ban is explained as a measure to combat “fraud».
According to the data of the provider Megafon at the moment the calls related to “scams” on messaging apps are as high as 40% and “about 70%” of these are reportedly done from abroad.
The Ministry of Digital Development told the Kommersant newspaper that “does not process any rules restricting calls to messaging appsn”. Roskomnadzor did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.
On December 19, Roskomnadzor forcibly included WhatsApp and Skype in the register of information distribution organizers.
Now, under the so-called “Yarovaya law”, all these applications are obliged to store their users’ data in Russia, including mail, photos, audio and video calls, and hand it over to the intelligence services along with the keys decryption.
In case of refusal, they can be blocked on the territory of Russia.
Source :Skai
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