Russians turn to cat feeders, classifieds, and vacuum cleaners to stay connected

11 hours ago

Russians are using unusual methods to communicate after Telegram was blocked by Roskomnadzor, including cat feeder listings on classifieds sites like Avito, which is on Russia's 'whitelist' for internet blackouts.
Other creative workarounds include using robot vacuum cleaners with cameras and microphones, baby monitors, video doorbells, and messaging within online games or apps like chess or Duolingo.
Collaborative online documents (e.g., Google Docs or Yandex Docs) serve as makeshift chat rooms, and some use the Sberbank Online app's chat feature, though it lacks whitelist status due to security issues.
These methods are seen as improvised, humorous solutions rather than full replacements for messaging apps, with VPNs remaining the most reliable tool for bypassing restrictions.

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