Technically, it is possible to restrict the work of the WhatsApp app in Russia, State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein said.
He said he would contact Roskomnadzor about the recent changes in the messenger’s confidentiality rules. Alexander Khinshtein is certain retaliatory measures need to be taken against the company for failure to comply with Russian laws.
Personal data is the property of a person, and cannot be transferred to third parties, Khinshtein added, quoted by RIA Novosti. Later, however, he wrote on Telegram that there are no plans to block the messenger so far. Technically, it is possible — but so is a nuclear strike on Washington. However, possibility does not mean action, the parliamentarian explained.
WhatsApp announced earlier this year it was changing the terms of service and would share its users’ personal data with its parent company, Facebook. In particular, the social networking giant will have access to their phone numbers, transactions, as well as locations.
Invest Foresight previously reported that Russian experts had warned local users about the dangers posed by Western messengers. That warning, in particular, concerned WhatsApp, which could be employed by US intelligence services.