Russia cracks down on Zello walkie
First Facebook, then Twitter, then Facebook again, and now... Zello?
On Sunday, Roskomnadzor, the Russian federal agency responsible for censoring the media and internet, announced it was moving to "limit" the walkie-talkie app Zello. At issue, according to an official press release (translated from Russian by Google), is the Texas company's failure to prevent discussion of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine on its platform.
Prime Day deals you can shop right now
Products available for purchase here through affiliate links are selected by our merchandising team. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.iRobot Roomba Combo i3+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop—$329.99(List Price $599.99)
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet—$178.99(List Price $219.99)
Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case—$199.00(List Price $249.00)
Eero 6 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (Router + 2 Extenders)—$149.99(List Price $199.99)
Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm, Midnight, S/M, Sports Band)—$299.00(List Price $399.00)
"On March 4, Roskomnadzor, based on the decision, sent the administration of the American Internet resource Zello (Zello Inc.) a request to stop sending messages to users that contain false information about the course of a special operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine," reads the translated message in part. "Due to the failure of the administration of Zello to comply with the requirements of Roskomnadzor within 24 hours, access to this application on the territory of the Russian Federation will be limited."
Zello, which offers both a free and a paid version of its service, lets users create voice discussion "channels" of up to 7,000 people — think voice chat rooms full of people talking to each other in real time. This functionality came in handy in 2017 when Zello users attempted to coordinate aid in response to Hurricane Irma, and, more recently, when Jan. 6 rioters using Zello infiltrated the U.S. Capitol building.
Russians using Zello inside the country seems to have run afoul of official government censors.
Importantly, Zello does offer an end-to-end encrypted chat feature. "Group conversations are private and encrypted end-to-end," the company explains. This means that (if implemented properly) no one, not even Zello, can listen in on those conversations. Public channels, which differ from Group conversations in that they're (as the name suggests) open to the public and searchable, are unencrypted.
We reached out to Zello in an effort to determine what effect, if any, this supposed limiting of its app in Russia has had on service. We also asked how many users in Russia the app has, and if the company has any response to Roskomnadzor's announcement. We received no immediate response.
Notably, this is not the first time the Russian government has moved to limit Zello in some way. In 2017, Zello said that officials attempted to block the app when the company failed to comply with a demand that it store user data in Russia.
"We would also [be forced to] provide law enforcement with the means of surveillance on Zello conversations globally and would have to share all Zello encryption keys with FSB, the Russian state security organization," read Zello's response at the time. "These are requirements that we are not able to meet or willing to comply with, even if we could."
SEE ALSO:What Russians should keep in mind when using TelegramZello said it had approximately 400,000 users in Russia in 2017.
As Russia moves to crack down in the country on online communication platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and now Zello, the value of a secure, and private, communication tool — like Signal, which saw a spike in use in Ukraine as Russia invaded, or Zello's end-to-end encrypted Group conversations — has never been more clear.
-
'Hyundai Way': Auto giant's W121tr plan aims to seize mobility market lead雅安疾控疫情防控提示(10月11日)青岛港湾职院两部教材入选首批“十四五”职教国家规划教材名单今日现在我们将要上市的一款饮料US Open 2024 livestream: How to watch US Open tennis for free春节期间我在岗 铆足干劲加油干倡导绿色办公 减少资源浪费铜饰之“龙”:藏在文物中的古人审美Europe now has a huge AI gap, for better or for worse无人机播种油菜种 农业生产省力又高效
下一篇:18 Slightly Submerged Architectural Wonders
- ·PCB official under probe for conflict of interest
- ·“盛装”迎国庆 市区街头飘扬“中国红”
- ·我市发行近10亿元中期票据有效支持灾后恢复重建
- ·国庆出游:防疫不松懈 出游更顺心
- ·Best Home Depot Labor Day sale deals
- ·坚持“防”字为先 坚决守住守牢安全稳定底线红线
- ·汉源县应对新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情应急指挥部通告(第14号)
- ·“闯关”开新局 “雄关”展新颜
- ·I used the Pixel 9 Pro XL in the shower — does the screen work when wet as claimed?
- ·坚持发展体外碎石 惠及泌尿结石患者
- ·当大熊猫的邻居,是怎样一种体验?
- ·汉源湖 碧水苍山 湖光水韵
- ·Cheap heat
- ·千年古刹回荡历史韵味
- ·雅安疾控疫情防控提示(10月11日)
- ·雨城区碧峰峡镇: 人大代表解民忧 提升群众满意度
- ·Who is the Dark Wizard in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2?
- ·青岛港湾职院两部教材入选首批“十四五”职教国家规划教材名单
- ·爱心物资暖人心 乐观向上战灾情
- ·国庆假期 中短途游成主流
- ·Arshad Nadeem receives Hilal
- ·露营成国庆出游新风尚
- ·夏凤俭督导调研重大项目和重点企业复工复产工作
- ·“家门口”享受法律服务 汉源县前域法务中心零距离服务群众
- ·Ruling bloc seeks tougher sentences for deepfake sex crimes
- ·喇叭河 大自然巧夺天工的杰作
- ·Tesla issues recall for 9,100 Model X cars
- ·关注青少年心理健康 让孩子听到爱的声音
- ·喇叭河 大自然巧夺天工的杰作
- ·坚持“防”字为先 坚决守住守牢安全稳定底线红线
- ·GPU Mining is Dead, Where are my Cheap GPUs?
- ·县域经济发展潜力无限 惠及群众增进民生福祉
- ·雅安市名山区应对新型冠状病毒肺炎应急指挥部关于全面加强部分区域(蒙阳街道、蒙顶山镇)社会面管控的通告
- ·推行垃圾分类 做到物尽其用
- ·US Open 2024 livestream: How to watch US Open tennis for free
- ·同心抗疫 “疫”路有你|大白见闻记