Mixed reactions among Russians to state-backed messaging app: “I don't have much faith in it” / “Everything created abroad is a threat”
Authorities hope the Max app will replace WhatsApp and Telegram, and government officials have given it rave reviews, but reactions on the streets of Moscow are mixed, writes AFP.
The messaging platform launched this year by Russian social media giant VK has been described as a “super app” capable of doing everything from accessing government services to ordering a pizza, similar to WeChat or China's Alipay.
The government told manufacturers to install the app on all new phones and tablets from September 1, while limiting calls to foreign-owned rival platforms.
Some Russians don't trust Max
Officials insist that Max is a secure app and will reduce Russia's reliance on foreign platforms that store data abroad, but human rights defenders warn that the platform – which lacks end-to-end encryption – could be used as a surveillance tool.
“I don't trust her very much,” said Ekaterina, a 39-year-old doctor who declined to give her last name.
The woman said that her employer asked her to install the app for work, but she mainly uses WhatsApp for personal communication.
“There's a personal message history that I don't want to lose, as well as for work-related communication,” she said, referring to WhatsApp.
“I have many clients there,” Ekaterina added.
Authorities have threatened to block WhatsApp in Russia
The Russians may not have a choice, notes AFP. On Friday, Russia's communications regulator threatened to block WhatsApp altogether if it did not comply with Russian law. In August, Roskomnadzor had accused the platform of refusing to provide information to authorities in cases of fraud and terrorism, and now it has again accused it of not complying with Russian requirements aimed at preventing and fighting crime.
WhatsApp, which has nearly 100 million users in Russia, has accused Moscow authorities of wanting to ban the app because it is “secure”.
Andrei Ivanov, a 33-year-old Russian, told AFP the situation was multifaceted. On the one hand, he fears that information on WhatsApp could be “stolen by other countries”, but on the other hand, he believes that it is “convenient to communicate there”.
“It's a certain restriction of our freedoms,” Ivanov added, talking about the authorities' plans to make users switch to another provider.
Other Russians would agree with shutting down WhatsApp
WhatsApp, owned by US tech giant Meta, uses end-to-end encryption. In other words, messages are encrypted when they leave the sender's device and can only be read by the recipient. The platform claims it uses Meta servers to store encrypted messages as they are delivered, but deletes them once that happens and has refused to hand them over to governments.
In Moscow, some Russians are not so convinced.
“I understand that everything that is created abroad is now a threat to us,” said Sergei Abramov, a 67-year-old Russian retiree.
He said he doesn't see a “big problem” in the eventual shutdown of WhatsApp.
Maria Isakova, a 36-year-old designer, agreed.
“Our nation is inherently good at adapting to changing circumstances. We adapt — there are other messages, there are alternatives that we can move to,” she said.
“I don't see any problem,” concluded Isakova.
PHOTO: Helen Filatova | Dreamstime.com
