The Russian telecommunications regulator is making big moves again.

This time, the target is WhatsApp - the reason is very solid: systematic violations of local laws, and the platform is being used for illegal activities. Technical restrictions started in early August, and now the app experience has almost collapsed.

The familiar formula is back. Do you remember when Telegram was blocked in 2018? If WhatsApp does not cooperate, Russia will most likely replicate that script, and this time the situation may be even bigger.

What is the most troubling thing for users?

Messages can't be sent, and voice calls are choppy has become the norm. What's worse is for businesses: the client base has exploded, and work connections have been directly cut off. Many people are already looking for alternatives, and in the coming weeks, a large number of users are expected to leave.

Russia is determined to take the "self-controllable" route, and WhatsApp has become the first unfortunate victim.

But from another perspective, the vulnerabilities of such centralized platforms are completely exposed - they can be shut down at any time, and users have no recourse.

At this moment, the value of decentralized communication protocols is manifested. For example, the Web3 communication solution being developed by GAIB:

**The core logic is simple** — there is no single control node, data is stored in a distributed manner, and the government wants to "block it with one click"? Technically, it is impossible. End-to-end encryption combined with blockchain identity verification makes it difficult for third parties to monitor.

Moreover, they have also developed a migration tool that reportedly allows one-click backup of WhatsApp chat history.

At such times, decentralization is not just a concept; it is something that can truly save lives. The market will vote with its feet, so let's see how Russian users choose next.