Verkhovna Rada will restrict the use of Telegram. But not for everyone and not completely

7 October 13:10

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has responded to the ban on the use of Telegram for officials and the military and has developed a special “policy of use” of the messenger by parliamentary staff. This was announced on Facebook by the head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Komersant UkrainianKomersant Ukrainian reports.

However, by the time the NSDC’s decision reached the parliament, it had turned from a ban to a recommendation. At least, that’s what the MP wrote.

“The use of Telegram will be restricted in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the recommendation of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine,”

– he wrote.

Follow us on Telegram: the main news in a nutshell

According to the MP, the VR apparatus has developed the following security measures for the use of Telegram:

  • mandatory two-factor authentication and cancellation of contact synchronisation. It is also necessary to block access to your computer if you leave it unattended so that unauthorised persons cannot access your account;
  • prohibition of transferring data used in work and official communication in Telegram;
  • prohibition of installing and using the Telegram client on company computers or personal computers used for business purposes;
  • the messenger is blocked using hardware and software, and requests for unauthorised attempts to connect to the service are recorded.

“I think such security measures are quite logical. Unfortunately, there have already been examples of unauthorised persons obtaining the data of state employees through Telegram, which was used on work devices. Or they created fakes, as in the case of the alleged channel of the speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk. With this order, we minimise the risks,”

– yurchyshyn wrote.

The MP stressed that this applies to the staff of the Rada (not MPs) and does not restrict the use of the messenger for personal purposes.

As reported Komersant Ukrainian, the Ukrainian authorities have long been looking at the messenger and often criticising it. The police constantly complain that drugs are being sold on Telegram, and the military says that it is controlled by Russian special services. Finally, in September, Ukrainian officials and military personnel were banned from using the messenger.

Follow us on Telegram: the main news in a nutshell

Остафійчук Ярослав
Editor