Watchdog says all messengers to be put on register sooner or later

MOSCOW, Jul 4 (PRIME) -- Inclusion of all messengers into the register of organizers of information distribution is a matter of time, Alexander Zharov, director of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media, whose service is in active dialogue with all messengers, said on Tuesday.

“We’re cooperating with (owners of messengers). They’ll be (in the register)…Everyone must respect Russian law,” Zharov told PRIME.

The service had recently had a hot argument with messenger Telegram on putting it on the list to avoid its blocking in the country. Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov agreed to provide the authority will only open data with no access to users’ correspondence.

The register does not have information on other popular messengers, including Viber, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.

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