Information has spread that the Russian government is preparing to completely block the Telegram channel. It is said that this will happen in April. It is reported that it will not be possible to access the platform with either mobile or broadband internet, nor to download the "Telegram" application.
The internet is also considered a technological innovation that has overcome censorship worldwide. From this perspective, it is interesting: is it really possible to completely block social media (for example, Telegram, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) in any country? In general, what does blocking social media mean: does it mean a complete or partial shutdown of access to social media from that country? Will Russians be deprived of this channel after Telegram is blocked in Russia?
Elvin Abbasov, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Information and Communication Technologies Industry Association, said in a statement to Medianews.az regarding the issue that it is technically possible to completely block social platforms, but this does not mean absolute disappearance in the digital world; it means "digital isolation": “The government agency can filter the platform's IP addresses and data packets (using DPI technology) through internet providers and massively stop access. This is the official declaration of the application as illegal within the country and making it technically inaccessible.
If Telegram is blocked in Russia, whether users will be completely deprived of this channel depends on the strictness of the method applied. If Russia controls all exit points under the "Sovereign Internet" law that came into force in the country in 2019, the operation of bypass methods such as VPNs and proxies will be severely limited. In this case, although the Telegram channel will not be completely disabled, it will lose its status as a mass communication tool and will turn into a difficult and slow tool used only by a small minority with high technological knowledge.”
The Telegram channel was created jointly by Russian businessman and programmer Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolay. The channel started operating in 2013. The channel’s central office is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Pavel Durov left the country in 2014 following disputes with the Russian authorities.
Nailə Qasımova,
Medianews.az