Russia Threatens WhatsApp Ban for 100 Million Users; Google Flags Android Flaw
Russia’s telecom watchdog began throttling WhatsApp for alleged security violations, risking isolation of its 100 million+ users and pushing traffic toward the state-backed MAX app under threat of a permanent ban. Separately, Alphabet disclosed a critical Android vulnerability affecting WhatsApp while DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis projected a 10–15-year AI “golden era” driven by Gemini and AlphaFold integration.
1. Russian Crackdown on WhatsApp
Russia’s telecom watchdog is throttling WhatsApp over alleged facilitation of terrorism and fraud, warning of a full ban that could isolate its 100 million+ user base and force migration to the state-backed MAX surveillance app. Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Meta must comply with Russian laws and enter dialogue or face a permanent block.
2. Google Discloses Android Vulnerability
Alphabet disclosed a critical vulnerability in WhatsApp’s Android client that could expose encrypted messages unless users apply a security patch. The flaw heightens privacy concerns as regulators and litigants challenge the strength of end-to-end encryption on major messaging platforms.
3. DeepMind AI Growth Outlook
DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis forecast a “new golden era of discovery” within 10–15 years, driven by advanced AI models like Gemini and AlphaFold. He highlighted the 2023 merger of Google Brain and DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs’ AI-powered drug discovery efforts as key to transforming medicine, energy and space research.