Russia blocks Meta’s WhatsApp, the country’s most popular messaging app
The Russian government has fully blocked Meta’s WhatsApp, the country’s most popular messaging app, over what a Kremlin spokesman called the company’s “unwillingness to comply with Russian law.” In a statement, Meta said WhatsApp has more than 100 million users in the country, which would represent two-thirds of the Russian population.
While this represents a major disruption for Russian users, it’s unlikely to be financially devastating for Meta.
The company does not break out revenue from Russia, but since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Meta has been labeled an “extremist organization” in Russia, and advertising on its platforms has been banned.
Meta called the move a “backwards step” that “can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.”
While this represents a major disruption for Russian users, it’s unlikely to be financially devastating for Meta.
The company does not break out revenue from Russia, but since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Meta has been labeled an “extremist organization” in Russia, and advertising on its platforms has been banned.
Meta called the move a “backwards step” that “can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.”
