OREANDA-NEWS  WhatsApp messenger will not launch public channels in Russia after warnings about blocking, State Duma Deputy Anton Gorelkin wrote in the Telegram channel.

"My prediction is coming true: WhatsApp will not open the functionality of public channels for Russian users. However, there has not been an official message yet, and they preferred to leak the information through a Dutch newspaper with reference to an unnamed Meta* representative," he explained.

The politician added that the company's reservation that the update will not be available in Russia "in the near future" is too optimistic, since there are no plans to remove the status of an extremist organization from Meta*.

WhatsApp messenger belongs to Meta* company. Until now, the app has only been able to send and receive messages, photos, videos, documents, voice messages and make calls. But since September 13, WhatsApp has launched public channels in more than 150 countries, promising that every user will gradually have the opportunity to create them.

Gorelkin said then that the official position on the work of WhatsApp in Russia may be revised if the messenger begins to "expand the functionality towards the mass dissemination of information."