These days, the Russian authorities are far less likely to criticize Telegram than other messaging platforms. Security officials still occasionally accuse “unfriendly” forces of exploiting the app, and some regions restrict access, but the federal government has dropped its plans to block Telegram nationwide — plans it still pursues for services like WhatsApp. Seven years ago, the situation was completely different. In 2018, Telegram was both the primary target of Russian Internet censorship and a symbol of resistance against the crackdown on digital freedoms.