Last apps standing? Telegram, WhatsApp duck Russia bans

Messaging apps have gotten a pass so far in part because WhatsApp is less suited for mass communication, while Telegram’s ability to blast information to large groups has made it useful both for independent media and the Kremlin. — Unsplash

WASHINGTON: Chat platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram have avoided being blocked by Russia – unlike some of the world's biggest social networks – in a tenuous tolerance that experts warn could end suddenly.

Years of tension between Moscow and US-based Facebook and Twitter erupted into confrontation after the invasion of Ukraine, with the platforms targeting state-tied media and then finding themselves restricted in Russia.