MAX App: Russia is now taking another big step towards ending the dependence on foreign technology. According to the latest information, Russia is going to start using its own messaging app ‘Max’ soon instead of WhatsApp. This app will be completely under the control of the government and will be used for official interactions to prefer security and data privacy.
Why is whatsapp being removed?
Since the Ukraine War, Russia has declared Meta, which is the parent company of WhatsApp and Facebook, has declared the ‘extremist organization’. According to reports, about 68% of Russia’s population uses WhatsApp daily. In such a situation, the government now wants all government officials to leave foreign apps and use indigenous and controlled options Max, so that national security is not threatened.
What is Max App?
The Max app has been prepared by the VK company which also runs Russia’s social media platform ‘VK Video’ (YouTube option). The VK was founded by Pavel Durov who is also the founder of Telegram. However, the Max app is quite different from Whatsapp or Telegram. According to reports, this app gives the government full access to the personal information of users such as camera, microphone, location, contacts and files. Not only this, this app accesses the device for a very depth while walking in the background in the system, which raises serious questions about privacy.
How long will the Max app come into force?
President Vladimir Putin has instructed all government officials to compulsorily use the Max app from 1 September 2025. Along with this, Russia is planning to ban all foreign apps that come from countries that have imposed economic or political sanctions on Russia.
Prosecution concerns about Max
Experts and critics suspect that the Max app may become a means of making the government’s monitoring further. Some reports have claimed that this app behaves like a spyware in a way and sends private information of users directly to the VK server that may be connected to the Russian intelligence agencies.
Will Whatsapp and Telegram be banned?
There are indications that whatsapp in Russia can be completely banned. At the same time, Telegram is also under government investigation as it is not fully following the Russian data rules, even though it originated in Russia. Even before this, Russia has taken steps like reducing the speed of YouTube, banning platforms like Instagram and Facebook. In such a situation, making the Max app mandatory is considered to be the next stage of this policy.
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