A Guardian investigation reports that Russia's state-promoted app Max, installed by tens of millions of citizens, amounts to a surveillance 'backdoor' on users' devices, according to research it cites.
Key facts
- Tens of millions of Russians have been forced to install the app Max over the past 18 months, according to the Guardian.
- Max is described as a messaging and payments 'super-app' marketed as a patriotic alternative to Telegram and WhatsApp.
- Research cited by the Guardian says the platform amounts to a 'backdoor' on users' devices.
- Max became Russia's most-used messaging app this summer, the Guardian reports.
- The app has been promoted by Russian celebrities in rap videos and comic routines, according to the Guardian.
Russia’s state-promoted app known as Max amounts to a surveillance ‘backdoor’ on users’ devices, according to research reported by the Guardian. The outlet says tens of millions of Russians have been forced onto the platform over the past 18 months.
Max is presented as a ‘super-app’ that combines messaging and payments, marked by a violet-blue button, the Guardian reports. Authorities have touted it as a patriotic alternative to foreign platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp.
The rollout has been accompanied by a promotional push. According to the Guardian, Russian celebrities have promoted Max in rap videos and comic routines.
The Guardian reports that this summer Max became the country’s most-used messaging app.
Central to the reporting are concerns that the app is not simply a communications tool. Research cited by the Guardian says the platform amounts to a ‘backdoor’ on the devices on which it is installed.
The Guardian frames the adoption of Max as a forced process rather than a voluntary one, noting that tens of millions of people have been required to install the app. It is not yet independently confirmed beyond the Guardian’s reporting how the described access operates in practice.
Why it matters
If a widely used state-backed app can act as a surveillance backdoor, it affects the privacy and safety of tens of millions of people in Russia. The case highlights concerns about how governments can use consumer technology to expand monitoring under the banner of national alternatives to foreign services.
Frequently asked questions
What is Max?
According to the Guardian, Max is a Russian messaging and payments 'super-app', marked by a violet-blue button, that authorities have promoted as a patriotic alternative to Telegram and WhatsApp.
Why are people concerned about Max?
Research cited by the Guardian suggests the app amounts to a 'backdoor' on users' devices, raising fears it is used to spy on citizens.
How popular is Max?
The Guardian reports that tens of millions of Russians have installed it over the past 18 months, and it became the country's most-used messaging app this summer.