Russian MP proposal to block Telegram after Paris attacks garners little support

A proposal from State Duma Deputy Alexander Ageyev to block the instant messaging service Telegram in Russia following Friday’s terror attacks in Paris garnered little support on Monday.

The instant messaging service was reportedly used by the terrorists.

Communications Minister Nikolai Nikiforov said blocking the service because it was popular among Islamic State militants would be “as smart as, for example, banning Toyota cars, because they would be popular among Islamic State [militants],” he was cited as saying in a separate RIA Novosti report.

Pavel Durov, the brain behind Telegram as well as Russia’s biggest social networking site VKontakte, also mocked the proposal.