Russia order state-backed MAX, WhatsApp rival, pre-installed on phones, tablets

https://www.reuters.com/technology/russia-orders-state-backed-max-messenger-app-whatsapp-rival-pre-installed-phones-2025-08-21/

by aspenmayer • 11 months ago

15 8 11 months ago

reuters.com

aspenmayer4• 11 months ago

Title edited for length:

Russia orders state-backed MAX messenger app, a WhatsApp rival, pre-installed on phones and tablets

aspenmayer4• 11 months ago

https://archive.is/ACPhF

benoau• 11 months ago

They're also ordering their domestic app store RuStore to be preinstalled making them the 6th to require third party app stores on iPhone, following Japan (December), Brazil (October) and Australia (TBD from a recent ruling) the UK (TBD from a recent law) and the European Union since about a year ago.

aspenmayer4• 11 months ago

Tired: advocating for independent third party app stores on behalf of users

Wired: advocating for state-owned third party app stores on behalf of Big Brother

I’m sure there are even groups who would say that all app stores should be state-run, but I think the jokes write themselves in such a scenario, and they’re generally less funny, so I can’t really lampoon it as well as I’d like.

I’d be happy with APT.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APT_(software)

Instead we got APT.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_persistent_threat

bigyabai• 11 months ago

The first-party App Store was the state-owned one all along:

https://www.macworld.com/article/230330/apple-in-china-why-t...

https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2024/12/26/apple-defends-re...

Apple's treatment of their users in censored or oppressed jurisdictions should make them demand sideloading.

roscas• 11 months ago

Last time I checked, Facebook also comes installed on all smartphones, including Chinese makers. If you remove the app, there are still 3 more hidden services. This might come in handy, if you loose car keys or your wedding ring, you just call FB, they will tell you where they are. But it only takes to have an ios or android. Google will 100% know where you are, who you talk to and what you do. What does it matter Russia does it or China? It is the same thing. Well Google already knows that even if you dont have a computer on the pocket.

driuha• 11 months ago

Its basically a government spyware. Perhaps you can compare it with WeChat but you can't really compare it to FB or Google because the political regimes are different in the US vs China & Russia. All the other conclusions can be drawn from this point.

Russia order state-backed MAX, WhatsApp rival, pre-installed on phones, tablets

Related Stories