Ukraine considers banning Telegram over security concerns
Ukraine may ban Telegram, the same as it did with VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, due to perceived threats posed by the messaging app, Verkhovna Rada's Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy head Mykyta Poturaiev told in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
His statement follows recent concerns about information security in Ukraine - a law, proposing to regulate Telegram was introduced in Verkhovna Rada on March 25.
“We lack the resources and capabilities to regulate Telegram, or any social networks for that matter,” he explained.
“Ignoring these threats jeopardizes Ukraine’s existence, we can’t ensure information hygiene.”
Poturaiev believes that, given Ukraine’s inability to regulate Telegram, the only viable solution is to shut it down, akin to the bans on Russian social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki implemented a few years ago.
Technical means available fully allow to do so.
“I see no other way to avoid losing not just the information war, but the war in general, other than passing a straightforward law,” Poturaiev added.
“This law would mandate that networks or platforms engage in dialogue with the Ukrainian government or face being shut down.”
Potential ban on Telegram in Ukraine
MP's introduced a bill in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) on March 25 to amend certain Ukrainian laws to regulate information-sharing platforms like Telegram. The bill's initiators propose regulating Telegram specifically.
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate head Kyrylo Budanov labeled Telegram a national security issue on March 27, during the Kyiv Stratcom Forum 2024, citing its often destructive impact within Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov stressed on May 27 the need to regulate Telegram in Ukraine, alleging multiple instances of the app's developers cooperating with Russian intelligence services.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
