Should India Build Its Own Great Firewall? The Case For – And Why It Could Backfire

Russia recently ordered a block on WhatsApp – a cross-platform messaging and calling service by Meta. Over 100 million users in that country are now being nudged, not subtly but forcibly, toward a state-built messaging app called Max, which critics and also Meta allege is a “state-owned surveillance app”. The Kremlin, of course, says this is about “data sovereignty” and compliance with Russian law. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told media that the block came “due to Meta’s unwillingness to comply with the norms and the letter of Russian law.” On paper, the argument isn’t illogical – why not opt for…