WeChat app restored in Russia after week on blacklist

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WeChat app restored in Russia after week on blacklist

WeChat is back online in Russia. Moscow restored access to the popular Chinese social media app, a week after blacklisting it.

At issue that registration rules which was quickly resolved. But not before disrupting some local businesses.

CGTN’s Daria Bondarchuk reports.

Mikhail Usov runs a company distributing software and hardware for video conferencing, IP-telephones and automatic telephone stations. Over 90 percent of his company’s suppliers are based in China. The Chinese messaging app WeChat plays an important role in Mikhail’s company’s daily business activities.

WeChat developers worked quickly to resolve the issue with authorities, complying with Russian requirements and the ban was lifted within days. But many other online messengers remain blacklisted by Moscow. BlackBerry Messenger, Line and Imo were banned by Russia’s telecommunications watchdog last week for failing to provide contact details for the Russian registry of local information providers.

Some internet industry experts say other online messengers face similar risks.

In April Google settled a $7.8 million antitrust case in Russia – agreeing to open its Android mobile phones to competitors’ search engines.

Russia’s telecom market is growing at a fast pace, experts say. And authorities are making it clear: those companies that want to operate, will have to adhere to Russia’s tightened internet regulations.