A mandatory messaging and payments app, branded as a patriotic alternative to Western platforms, has been installed on tens of millions of Russian phones over the past year and a half. Authorities and public figures have actively promoted the violet-blue app, which now ranks as the country’s top messaging service. Critics warn the app may function as a digital backdoor, raising concerns over user privacy and control. The rapid adoption follows a push to replace widely used services like Telegram and WhatsApp.
Research shows tens of millions of people are being forced to use platform that amounts to ‘backdoor’ on their deviceOver the past 18 months, tens of millions of Russians have been forced to install a new app on their phones – a violet-blue button designed for messaging and payments, called Max.Authorities have touted it as a patriotic alternative to Telegram and WhatsApp; Russian glitterati have promoted it in rap videos and comic routines. This summer, it became the country’s most-used messaging app. Continue reading...
