Russia Begins Limiting Access to Telegram Within the Country
Authorities in Russia have started restricting residents’ access to Telegram, one of the most widely used social media apps. This effort is geared at pushing Russians towards local alternatives that the government tightly controls. The restrictions started on Tuesday, and the authorities claimed that their efforts are aimed at protecting Russian citizens. The Russian government accused Telegram of being unwilling to block content that Russia regards as “terrorist and criminal in nature.” Roskomnadzor, the regulator of telecommunications in the country, released a statement indicating that restrictions on Telegram messenger would continue until the platform eliminated violations of the country’s law.…