US EditionRussia’s ‘Spook in Your Pocket’: The Kremlin Rolls Out a Messaging App
7 Articles
7 Articles
The new state-owned app Max is being developed by VK, a company controlled by the Kremlin, Gazprom and Yuri Kovalchuk, a billionaire from President Vladimir Putin's circle.
By the beginning of September, the audience of Russian Massger Max had exceeded 30 million people, according to VK, which had released it. In order to force users into the new service, the Russian authorities used all available means, ranging from advertising loyal bloggers and artists to limiting calls in the TV and Vosapa. The messenger itself was extremely uncomfortable to use, and it was better not: in the five months since the release, the …
In Russia, only mobile phones can be sold on which the new messaging service Max is pre-installed. In addition, the search for "extremist content" on the Internet is now punishable. Katja Voronina
Moscow also targets VPNs, criminalizes searches for "extremist material," and forces migrants to install surveillance apps.
BBC: Russia targets WhatsApp and pushes new ‘super-app’ as internet blackouts grow | ResearchBuzz: Firehose
BBC: Russia targets WhatsApp and pushes new ‘super-app’ as internet blackouts grow. “The new Max app is being aggressively promoted by pop stars and bloggers, and since 1 September all devices sold in Russia must have Max pre-installed. It was launched by VK, which owns the country’s largest social network of the same name. The Facebook-like platform is controlled by oil-and-gas giant Gazprom and one of Vladimir Putin’s closest confidantes, bill…
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