Russia has reportedly blocked access to the encrypted messaging app Signal, according to multiple user reports and confirmation from the Russian telecommunications regulator, Roskomnadzor.
The block, which users began noticing yesterday, appears to be part of a broader effort by Russian authorities to control and restrict access to communication platforms that do not comply with the country’s strict regulations.
Signal blocked by all ISPs
The first signs of the blockage were reported by users in major Russian cities, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Krasnodar, who noted difficulties accessing the app. Monitoring services such as Downradar and Сбой.рф registered thousands of complaints regarding Signal’s accessibility, with most users unable to connect to the service even when using VPNs.
Internet observatory NetBlocks also confirmed the block on Signal app’s backend, by all internet service providers in the country.
In a statement to Russian media, Roskomnadzor claimed that access to Signal was restricted due to its failure to comply with national legislation, particularly laws designed to prevent the use of messaging services for terrorist and extremist activities. The exact legal requirements that Signal allegedly violated were not specified, but the regulator has previously targeted platforms that refuse to provide backdoor access to user data or fail to register with Russian authorities.
Signal, known for its strong stance on privacy and security, uses end-to-end encryption based on the Signal Protocol. The app is widely used by individuals who require secure communication, while its open-source nature and minimal data logging makes it a popular choice among privacy advocates worldwide.
Given its robust encryption and commitment to privacy, Signal has likely come under scrutiny by Russian authorities who have increasingly targeted digital platforms that they cannot easily monitor or control.
Last June, decentralized encrypted chat app Delta reported that the Russian authorities, through Roskomnadzor, demanded that it handed over user data and decryption keys, a request that was turned down.
YouTube also restricted
The block on Signal follows a series of actions taken by Russian authorities against other major online platforms. YouTube has also faced disruptions in Russia, with users reporting slowdowns and complete inaccessibility in some regions. Roskomnadzor has been slowing down YouTube’s services in Russia for several weeks, allegedly due to the platform's non-compliance with Russian laws and its refusal to remove content that the government deems inappropriate.
Russian IT expert Mikhail Klimarev stated on X yesterday that the throttling by the authorities has been underway for over a week, stating that the restrictions aim to block people’s access to what is one of the last remaining news platforms free from censorship.
These actions reflect a broader trend in Russia, where the government has intensified its efforts to control the flow of information and limit access to platforms that provide uncensored communication. The restrictions on Signal and YouTube are part of a growing list of digital services that have faced similar treatment, including VPN apps being removed from the Russian Apple App Store last month, and websites hosted on foreign providers not registered in the country getting blocked.
For users affected by the blocks, the use of VPNs remains one of the few options to bypass these restrictions, though even VPNs are not guaranteed to work consistently under the increasingly sophisticated methods employed by Russian regulators.
RestorePrivacy has reached out to both Signal and Google for a comment on the situation and to learn whether they are working on a solution to make their platform accessible to Russian users, but we have not received a response by publication.
Update – A YouTube spokesperson has sent us the following statement:
We are aware of reports of some people not being able to access YouTube in Russia. That is not as a result of any technical issues on our side or action taken by us
YouTube spokesperson
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Signal was the best messenger available until they quit supporting SMS. I understand why but it would be great if they put out the old version, maybe Signal II or something. I’d gladly pay for it; Signal was the smoothest messenger I’ve used.
This user’s personal data you speak of BunnyTCE, is called PII data. (Personal Identifiable Information). The collected PII data on US citizen’s is up for grabs as everything collected everywhere is being or will be used for AI development as research and training.
AI is the supercharger for tech going forward, being the derivational assimilated union of old tech gathering methods and users profile PII data stored, probably guaranteed since 9/11.
PII (Personal Identifiable Information) collected on US citizen’s should never leave the shores of the USA.
And did you know?
AU10TIX, an Israeli company specializing in identity verification solutions, processes various personal documents such as driver’s licenses and photographs for clients like TikTok, Uber, and X.
AU10TIX does have US citizen’s PII data access? Why?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AU10TIX
AU10TIX is a subsidiary of ICTS International N.V.
This firm and its subsidiaries specialize in aviation security services, operating airport checkpoints and electronic equipment, such as x-ray screening devices and manual devices, and verifying travel documents.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICTS_International
I mean why are there no US companies doing this in the USA for american’s PII Data.
An example of the AI-centric tech, would be like two idential cars by the weight, body and power output. By the add of the supercharger installed on one engine makes it the super fast car.
So, the government believes that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is beholden to the Chinese government, which could potentially use TikTok to harvest American user data, influence content, or disseminate propaganda to 170 million Americans. AI driven disseminate of PII Data as something tangible, such as an infectious agent, nowadays the ‘thing’ most often disseminated, or “spread abroad as though sowing seed,” is information.
Ad Tech – Data Brokers!
Hi Sven Sir, where is Heinrich Sir? Hope he is happy and healthy and doing well. Why is he not writing new articles these days? Are you now alone managing both Restore privacy and Cyber Insider?
Heinrich is still helping behind the scenes, working on VPN content.
Hey Alex, it seems BTCE is either selectively ignoring your comments or relying on AI for their responses. They still don’t realize that Sven isn’t around and you’re not Sven.
Maybe they’ve gotten so clueless from all those carrots that they’ve lost their mind?
Is it a sport or job for you. To try and harm by bashin on people?
You give no help or useful words otherwise in your actions of noticing or perceiving something asked.
Myself call me anything execpt late to dinner.
Bunny, take a look here, @Eddie Snowdon encapsulated view of our world of technology, business, cybercrime and world players.
https://cyberinsider.com/mastermind-behind-major-ransomware-operations-arrested-and-extradited/
These world governments can legally access their user data in ways that might violate the privacy expectations of law-abiding users. Worse, a government may force any service operators to enable surveillance.
Or as in the 14-eyes union that work together, as plegging not spy on it self’s own population.
By working with its 14-eye partners, a government means to circumvent their pledge to its own population.
This creates a significant predicament for privacy and security on the Open Web. As every major browser today is distributed by an organization within reach of a governments surveillance laws.
Hi Sven Sir, what are your views on the ever rising threat to user privacy through global online surveillance by online advertisers, ad-sense companies and data brokers with the rising deployment, advancements and use of Machine Learning and AI models which are also being trained on users’ personal data – for the expansion and support of Generative AI as it is very costly for venture capitalists and as subscriptions are not always feasible, eventually AI by consumer facing big tech companies like Google and Meta will be powered by personal data of users’?
AI algorithms can’t help but, to reflect the biases of their creators. AI systems will inherit biases from the data resources used to train them, as well.
Try buying the latest leading brands of 2024 smartphones. It’s worth remembering that most of them have been tapping into AI-centric tech and features for years, that use of AI in smartphones has mostly been supportive. 2023 marks a move to generative AI, with the smart tech actually serving up content and more actively aiding phone users, as generating images and itineraries for them or drafting responses to emails.
https://www.techradar.com/phones/2024-will-be-the-year-of-the-ai-phone-whether-we-like-it-or-not
The aim of the Global AI Ethics and Governance Observatory is to provide a global resource for policymakers, regulators, academics, the private sector and civil society to find solutions to the most pressing challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence.
https://www.unesco.org/en/artificial-intelligence/recommendation-ethics
What is, what may be, and what happens are in a Digital flux. Which refers to the constant change and evolution of these digital technologies, platforms, and trends. This encompasses the rapid shifts in consumer behavior, market demands, and technological advancements that shape the digital landscape for any organization within the reach of a countries surveillance laws.
Telegram still works.
I wonder why? :-/
Yes, Russia would need to block it, because it does not has access to the conversations made through Signal.
Because the USA has access, and they share data with their “partners”, they does not need to block the application.