Will MPs be banned from using Telegram? Who is affected by the new NSDC recommendation on social media
20 September 2024 17:56
Today, the press service of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine reported that the National Coordination Centre for Cybersecurity has decided to restrict the use of Telegram messenger in government agencies, military formations and critical infrastructure facilities.
As "Komersant Ukrainian" journalists found out, government agencies will not delete their official channels yet – they will continue to inform Ukrainians about important events in the country.
But what about MPs who also have their own Telegram channels? In an exclusive commentary to 
, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, said that no one in the country is prohibited from using the app for personal purposes, including MPs.
“We have not yet officially sanctioned Telegram, it has not been recognised as a network that poses a threat, neither Telegram nor its owners are on the sanctions list, so personal use is not regulated, including for MPs,” Yurchyshyn said.
However, the MP noted that using Telegram from a work device may be prohibited.
“Whether an MP will be able to do this from a work device is another question. If the system administrators of state institutions receive a task to block this connection, he will not be able to do so. Since there is now a recommendation from the specialised centre, I understand that over time, the telegram will be blocked on official servers,” he said.
According to Yurchyshyn, the relevant orders are currently being sent out, after which there will be appeals to state institutions, military, security, and critical enterprises on how they will implement this recommendation.
As for agencies, such as NABU or the BES, the question of whether or not to allow official telegram channels should be addressed to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.
“The Centre does not have the authority to make recommendations on communications, this is the domain of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy. Although the question immediately arises – if you cannot use Telegram on work devices, then how can you run official Telegram channels? And in general, can there be official channels on a network that the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the National Security and Defence Council qualify as a threat?” Yurchyshyn asked a rhetorical question.
It is not yet known for certain whether MPs or agencies will implement the NSDC recommendation. However, according to the Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov, “the Telegram issue is not a matter of freedom of speech, it is a matter of national security.”
Author – Aliona Kaplina
