Russian telecommunications regulator Roskomnadzor has requested that Telegram block a channel allegedly operated in the name of Ekaterina Mizulina, the director of the Safe Internet League, although Mizulina herself did not authorize the action. This development was reported by TASS, citing the regulator’s press service. The agency said it had received information about a Telegram channel that was distributing information it described as false and misleading on Mizulina’s behalf. The report indicates that Roskomnadzor sent a formal notice to the messaging service, urging it to restrict access to the channel and to confirm the legitimacy of the account allegedly linked to Mizulina.
In a separate statement, Mizulina’s team noted that she had previously warned on her own Telegram channel about a scam that emerged in December, which involved a reporter allegedly disseminating unreliable information using Mizulina’s identity. The Safe Internet League has identified at least 14 similar fake channels running on Telegram, according to internal assessments. The organization has also complained that Telegram has not responded to a series of requests made by the Safe Internet League aimed at restoring service and clarifying account authenticity. It was further mentioned that a formal appeal was submitted to Roskomnadzor on March 2, requesting Telegram to engage with platform users and take action against the counterfeit channel. The stakeholders emphasize the ongoing problem of impersonation and misinformation on the platform, and they underline the need for timely responses from Telegram to protect public trust and user safety. [source: Roskomnadzor press service; TASS; Safe Internet League communications]