Wildberries has banned employees from bringing smartphones into its warehouses, a restriction in effect since August 3, according to the Telegram channels Ostorozhno, Novosti and the Klub Partnerov na Marketpleisakh project.
Workers are now allowed to use only push-button phones without cameras, which the company said in an internal notice circulated July 31 would "allow them to stay in touch with loved ones."
The company said the ban follows cases of employees filming drones and related events after smartphones were permitted on warehouse premises, and distributing such material. Wildberries said filming drone strikes and their consequences threatens worker safety and could reveal the positions of air-defense systems. Such filming, the company said, could lead to administrative liability and, "in some cases," criminal prosecution.
Previously, Wildberries warehouses restricted bringing personal items into the work area. According to Ostorozhno, Novosti, that restriction was partially relaxed after Ukrainian attacks on the company's logistics centers began, with employees allowed to carry documents and keys to cars and homes.
In dozens of Russian regions, including Moscow, filming the aftermath of Ukrainian attacks is banned. Publishing photos and videos, including of attacked Wildberries warehouses, has already led to detentions.