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Russia mandates pre-installation of government app on all new smartphones
Starting next month, every new smartphone sold in Russia will have to come with the government's all-in-one app, MAX.
Ordered by President Putin, MAX isn't just for chatting—it also handles video calls, payments, government services, and even has its own social network called "My World."
MAX will likely run on Russian servers
MAX will likely run on Russian servers so authorities can access user data easily.
This is part of a bigger push to limit apps like WhatsApp and tighten control over what people do online—think more surveillance and less digital freedom.
For young Russians especially, it means less privacy and fewer choices about how they connect or speak out online.