Over the past 18 months, tens of millions of Russian citizens have been forced to install the “Max” app on their phones, a communications and payments platform identifiable by its purple-and-blue icon, reports The Guardian.
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The Russian government has presented “Max” as a patriotic alternative to Telegram and WhatsApp. It has also been promoted by well-known public figures through rap-themed and comedic videos. This summer, the app became the most widely used messaging service in Russia.
“Max” was created by “VKontakte”, the Russian social media company with deep ties to the state. According to reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin indirectly owns a stake in the company.
The platform operates as a Russian version of super-apps, bringing a range of services together in a single system. It contains several “mini-apps” intended to simplify everyday life in Russia, including banking apps and a messaging service designed to serve as a replacement.
However, research has highlighted the full extent of “Max”’s surveillance capabilities. The app may have access to data stored on users’ phones, as well as their messages and payments. It may also impersonate users without their knowledge.
Experts describe this as “the smartest and at the same time most frightening tactic ever used by authoritarian governments to surveil their citizens.”
