Russia is pushing its Max messenger a social media platform without encryption onto its citizens with a massive promotion campaign and the simultaneous blocking of Whatsapp and Telegram, the country’s two most popular messenger apps. Launched in 2025 by Russian social media giant VK, the app has been compared to China’s WeChat, combining social media and messaging functions with access to government services, a digital ID card system, banking and payments. It is not officially mandatory, but the authorities are making it clear that life without Max will become increasingly hard. Is Russia too obsessed with controlling its citizens ?
