The Beginning of the Ban
Last Friday, the powers that be in Russia, specifically the telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor (RKN), decided that enough was enough and announced a ban on the encrypted messaging app, Telegram. Fast forward to Monday, April 16, and they were already blocking a staggering 20 million Google and Amazon Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Quite the ambitious Internet housecleaning, wouldn’t you say?
Telegram Still Standing Strong
Despite the somewhat draconian measures, Telegram users are mostly sending memes rather than panic signals, as reports indicate the app remains functional. Lucky users continue chatting away without needing to leap through hoops or fire off VPNs and proxies. The app seems to be rubbing RKN’s nose in the dirt, unable to put a dent in it.
Collateral Damage: More than Just Telegram
However, it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. Countless innocent bystanding services were caught in the crossfire. Viber took a hit, leaving some users unable to make calls. Viber took to Twitter, assuring users they were working all hours to fix the connectivity issues, which were inadvertently linked to those blockages intended for Telegram:
“Some users in Russia are experiencing problems making calls on Viber. These issues seem to come from connectivity problems to Amazon Web Services in Russia.” — Viber (@Viber) April 16, 2018
Public Outcry and Prince of Privacy
Edward Snowden, the poster child for user data privacy, couldn’t resist chiming in. He tweeted his outrage, denouncing the censorship as a move that has “broken Russia’s internet.” His comments resonated deeply with users, and Twitter personified the chaos, as countless services from Netflix to gaming networks reported connectivity woes.
A Broken Internet: The Real Cost
As a cherry on top, some businesses saw potential mega losses due to the mass shutdowns attributed to RKN’s mishap. The online school Skyeng reported it could lose up to 30 million rubles (or $480,000) overnight thanks to network failures. It’s safe to say this sequel of “The Blockbuster” did not have a happy ending for everyone involved.
RKN’s Response: Denial and Threats
RKN, meanwhile, was in full denial mode, claiming they had no hand in causing the streaming service crashes. They reported that they’d blocked about 30% of Telegram networks and brushed off complaints as “quite low.” Notably, the watchdog began issuing warnings to proxy and VPN services, citing “extremism and calls for mass disturbances,” leaving many to wonder what’s next in this rollercoaster ride of internet regulation.
Pavel’s Plan: Money Talks
The founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, wasn’t going down without a fight. He offered financial support to VPN and proxy service operators, claiming he would happily donate millions in Bitcoin to help support their resistance against censorship. Move over, altruism! Is this a budding superhero we see?
