The Russian news agency TASS reported that after the latest court ruling, the messaging service will be “blocked immediately,” and the ban will remain until Telegram provides the FSB with a decryption key. However, it is unclear how the ban was implemented. The definition of “immediate” in the judgment is likely to be when the appeal of Telegram fails and the ban will take effect.
Russia implemented strict anti-terrorism laws in 2016, requiring messaging services to provide competent authorities with the ability to decrypt messages. Telegram is always recognized as the safest instant messaging software and has been challenging these laws.
Pavel Durov, founder, and CEO of Telegram has publicly commented on the ban. “At Telegram, we have the luxury of not caring about revenue streams or ad sales. Privacy is not for sale, and human rights should not be compromised out of fear or greed.”
Source: theverge
