Russian lawmaker says new mandatory messenger app will not use AI to report users to authorities
Anton Nemkin, a member of the Russian State Duma’s Information Policy Committee, said the idea that the country’s new national messenger app, Max, will use AI technology to surveil and report citizens is false.
“The rumor that Max will supposedly ‘write denunciations’ with the help of AI is pure science fiction. There are no technical capabilities or legal grounds for that,” Nemkin told state media on Wednesday.
According to him, Max works just like any other messenger app: it lets users exchange messages, make calls, and share files.
“Most people’s smartphones have long had apps from major companies and state services preinstalled — Sber, VTB, Gosuslugi,” Nemkin said. “In all the years they’ve operated, there hasn’t been a single case of built-in AI being used for ‘denunciations’ or tracking users’ personal actions.”
The lawmaker said he believes rumors about AI surveillance in the app are being spread to “undermine trust in domestic digital products.” He noted that Max undergoes the same security checks as other apps.
“Its main purpose is to provide convenient and secure communication, not surveillance,” he added.
Since September 1, the Russian authorities have required Max to be pre-installed on all phones sold in the country (though Apple, Samsung, and other brands are still being sold without the app). Earlier this summer, the government began blocking the calling feature on the most popular alternatives to Max, WhatsApp and Telegram.
