WhatsApp raps Russia’s ban on messaging app, calls it ‘backwards step’ to ‘isolate 100 million users’

WhatsApp criticised Russia’s decision to ban the messaging app, saying the move would cut over 100 million users from “private and secure” communication, and could also lead to “less safety” for people in the country.

Russia on Thursday announced that it is blocking foreign social media platform WhatsApp, and plans to restrict Telegram as well, in order to promote its homegrown “super-app” called Max, which is modelled after China’s WeChat.