Russia Considers Banning Voice Calls in Messaging Apps to Combat Fraud

The Russian Ministry of Digital Development and the federal media regulator Roskomnadzor are reportedly discussing restrictions on voice and video calls in messaging apps as a measure against fraudulent activities. The news was first reported by the Russian newspaper Kommersant on December 24.

According to the report, two options are under consideration: a complete ban on voice calls through messaging apps or a restriction on calls originating from abroad. The move is said to stem from concerns over the increasing use of these platforms by fraudsters.

Telecommunications operators in Russia claim that up to 40% of calls made through messaging apps are linked to fraudulent activity, with approximately 70% of these calls allegedly coming from overseas. The mobile operator MegaFon reported a sharp increase in fraudulent calls over the past three years, rising from 1% to 40%.

Current efforts, such as smartphone apps that monitor and block suspicious activity, depend on user consent to access messaging platforms.

Roskomnadzor has previously indicated that it has the technical capability to block calls within messaging apps. In October, the head of the agency, Andrey Lipov, stated that such measures might be enacted if the apps violate Russian laws.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that call centers in Ukraine have defrauded Russian citizens of over $2.6 billion, describing the situation as alarming. He suggested these operations might be state-controlled and linked to Ukrainian intelligence services.

Earlier, Russian media reported that WhatsApp might face a ban in Russia after being added to a registry requiring local data storage and cooperation with state agencies. This follows the classification of its parent company, Meta, as an “extremist organization,” leading to the banning of Instagram and Facebook in 2022.