Roskomnadzor announced the blocking of the popular messenger Viber in the Russian Federation. The messenger is owned by the Japanese company Rakuten, and the reason is a violation of the requirements of Russian legislation.
"Access to the Viber service is restricted due to a violation of the requirements of Russian legislation on the dissemination of information leading to threats for terrorist and extremist purposes, recruiting citizens to carry them out, selling drugs, as well as in connection with the publication of illegal information," Roskomnadzor said in a statement.
According to Anton Nemkin, a deputy and member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, fraudsters often use Viber because the messenger allows you to exchange messages, calls and multimedia content without the need to confirm your identity through strict security systems.
He also noted that the service does not regulate the distribution of prohibited content in any way. Viber has been repeatedly fined by Russian courts for refusing to remove illegal information. Over the past two years, the amount of fines has exceeded 1.8 million rubles (16,500 euros) and they have not yet been paid.