Today's Edition
(AGENCIES)
Russia has started restricting voice and video calls through foreign-owned messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram, pushing users toward a new state-backed app called Max.
Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor officially announced the restrictions in mid-August.
Because WhatsApp and other messaging apps are widely used across Russia, including by businesses and government, it can’t be an immediate ban, said Mikhail Klimarev, a Russian telecom expert.
Russian authorities have been vigorously promoting Max, developed by a subsidiary of VK, a Russian-owned social network.
Starting in September, Max will be added to the official list of government-mandated applications that must be preinstalled on electronic devices.
Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development has also recommended that a number of major companies - including telecom providers, marketplaces, airlines and railways - integrate their systems with Max, which would allow users to log into services and share documents and personal information, local media reported Tuesday.
The government backed Max in early June, after President Vladimir Putin signed a law establishing a "national messenger.”
Maksut Shadayev, the head of the Digital Ministry, at the time pointed to other countries with national messengers - Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and China - and praised Max for offering functionality comparable to foreign competitors.
Last week, the app announced it had amassed 18 million users.
The government’s ultimate ambition for Max appears to be for it to become like China’s WeChat - integrating messaging, e-commerce and government services. By 2026, Max is expected to be integrated with Gosuslugi, Russia’s centralised digital government platform, and the country’s internal payment system.
