Hmmm, my people! News don waka from Russia, as dem don start to dey slow down Telegram wey plenty pipo dey use. Na dem say e get legal wahala, but many dey yarn say na just way make pipo run go local app wey dem fit control well.
Dis move no be new matter o! Since di Ukraine gbege start, Moscow don dey make threats everywhere, telling internet platforms say if dem no follow law, dem go collect ban. Dem talk say dem need all data of Russian users to dey inside di country, no wahala, but we sabi say na wan kind control dem wan put for eba and pepper soup. Na so dem dey try stamp out anything wey dem fit call ‘criminal or terrorist’ action. Na wetin dem dey try yarn!
Critics dey fire back, saying Kremlin wan just tighten dem grip for internet matter. Dem dey use dis as excuse to carry out all dis wahala on free speech. Dey say na serious censorship wey no be joke at all. If you check di World Press Freedom Index, Russia dey at di bottom, 171st out of 180. E no sweet, my guys!
Pavel Durov, wey na di mind behind Telegram, don scatter ground on im channel, talk say Russia dey try push im people to use state app wey go be more like CCTV. E dey talk say dem wan use Max app wey dem fit control, wey una fit use for payments and government wahala. But abeg, who go like make dem sip dem soup for people dem matter?
Telegram don be like oasis for communication and sharing of info for Russia. Almost every big man for di country dey use am, from di Kremlin to pro-war bloggers. E don turn to communication center for military matters and e no go sweet if dem fit begin tie am down.
Some pro-war bloggers dey vex say dis action go cause serious wahala for dem, especially for di front line. Di Two Majors channel talk say if dem no fit use Telegram, e go make communication dey very choked up, and dem go fit only hear wetin di ministry wan tell dem. E no be better news!
For before, Russia don try ban Telegram before, but di matter dey turn back. Dem lift di ban back in 2020 after plenty wahala. Now we dey see say di users don dey complain say dem dey experience slow traffic since di threat don drop. E mean say wahala dey loom!
Roskomnadzor don try to hold down other foreign services like WhatsApp and YouTube too. So, Durov fit dey wan chop him own share for di wahala, wey im fit remember di time wey dem push am come out from VK, di social media site wey e start. Now, im dey try make Telegram work for di outside world.
Durov don also run into wahala for France as dem indict am for im alleged involvement in criminal activity associated with Telegram. Even though France no dey hold am down again, dem still dey monitor di matter closely.
Na wa! As dis matter dey unfold, we go dey keep our eyes out for wetin go happen next. E go good make people fit dey enjoy freedom of speech and no make dem turn everything to under police watch.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
