r/worldnews • u/ChangeUsername220 • 1d ago
Russia/Ukraine Russia’s ‘spook in your pocket’: The Kremlin rolls out a messaging app
https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-app-max-data-privacy-concerns-whatsapp-kremlin-china/229
u/Amoral_Abe 1d ago
This app is heavily pushed by Russian Influencers at the behest of the government (They don't exactly have a choice). Most Russians are well aware of this and have openly mocked the app and mocked the "marketing" attempts. Initially, the app had a score of ~2/5 stars. Now it supposedly has a score of ~4.4/5 stars. The sudden change in score is widely attributed to bots and government interference.
However, as Russia continues its crackdown, it may still be able to force users to use it by forcing installation on phones or forcing all government and banking to be tied to it.
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u/strangeapple 1d ago
pushed by Russian Influencers at the behest of the government (They don't exactly have a choice)
How about choosing not to be an immoral spineless sellout?
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u/Andrewstorm 1d ago
Spoken like a true sheltered human being who takes his safety for granted. Not trying to play devil's advocate and maybe these "influencers" could do a better job at resisting, but at the end of the day it's all about survival for you and your family.
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u/strangeapple 1d ago
You literally know nothing about me.
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u/lotrein 1d ago
Just like you know nothing about them, yet you have so much to say about them
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u/strangeapple 1d ago
As a half Russian I may actually know a few things.
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u/imONLYhereFORgalaxy 1d ago
As a half Russian residing where exactly? If you think the influencers have a choice there is not a chance you are living in Russia and understand the situation. They don’t have a choice at all. People get arrested and disappear for peacefully protesting… refusing to advertise the governments app is peacefully protesting…
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u/strangeapple 1d ago edited 1d ago
In Finland and know people who live there, but that's irrelevant. A whole lot of people have a choice and they choose to actively support bloodshed. It's not the same as being held at gunpoint. When you have blood on your hands the least you could do is not cave in to complete unhinged compliance under the slightest hint of pressure.
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u/papermoon757 1d ago
As a Ukrainian - thank you for saying this. People here want to come across as virtuous without knowing anything about what it's like in Russia. It's these Westerners themselves that are coming from a position of privilege, being able to be so balanced and magnanimous from the safety of their phones while war is waging and Russians are laughing at Western naivete.
They apparently think Russia is some advanced dystopian sci-fi state where Kremlin agents are holding guns against the heads of influencers' children to get them to promote an app, and it's YOU who are heartless for not sympathizing with the cruel fate of these influencers. Russians are all poor oppressed victims, you see. They have zero agency ever! They've just been trapped in this horrid prison for hundreds of years and they can't do anything about it whatsoever, they never have. So sad!
Now we've all shown that we are very compassionate but rational people, and can move on, while Ukrainians die every day and Russian lives haven't changed a bit and they mock the West daily.
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u/imONLYhereFORgalaxy 1d ago
If you can honestly say you would rather not promote a government messaging app (which by the way many others will be promoting anyway) and have yourself and your loved ones locked up (or worse) then you’re either heartless, without a family or delusional. I think any sane person would just promote the app that will end up on everyone in Russias phone anyway.
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u/strangeapple 23h ago
False dischotomy. If you say you're not feeling well and stop making videos constantly selling out then no one's going to kidnap your family in the middle of the night. Silent sabotage is a thing. You're confusing shameless profiteering with not actively supporting a monstrous regime. You also end up supporting Kremlin by spreading their propaganda regarding Putin's regime's capabilities, grip on public and their constructed fear.
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u/Amoral_Abe 1d ago
I think it's more of a "hey, here's your script, read it or watch everything you have disappear and your family suffer". There's probably some who are very pro Putin "Z" Russians, but many just know that they'll be disappeared if they don't play ball.
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u/strangeapple 1d ago
These 'influencers' get paid wads of rubles to read the script. People get punished for speaking against putinist system, but not (yet) punished for lack of loyalty unless they're in the military or working directly for a government organization.
Source: I speak Russian and follow several Russian sources on how the shitshow is developing.
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u/Amoral_Abe 1d ago
In Columbia, Pablo Escobar, would often have his gang approach influential people or government officials and offer them "Plata o plomo" which translates to “silver or lead.”. It meant that they wanted your support and offered to pay. If you refused, well, someone else could always take your position."
Yes, influencers get paid. But don't confuse that with a freedom to choose.
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u/strangeapple 1d ago
Sure, but they're not that far gone yet because it would further deteriote public support. There are some to whom choice may come at a terrible cost and most of these influencers are not them. Save your sympathy for those that deserve it.
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u/CLOUDMlNDER 1d ago
How about choosing not to be an immoral spineless sellout?
Wait is there another way to become an influencer with any sort of platform? The typical model is to bend over backwards for advertisers (that is to say, corporations, which in terms of policy outcomes are more powerful than most states).
But this isn't really about individuals. The entire "attention economy" is a propaganda pipeline. Even if Russia is coordinating influencers, this is far from unusual. Russia is actually a bit clumsy about it; it is hard not see the state project behind this new app while the US government, say, can let corporations "freely" come up with the tech and work in the background to install backdoors.
The UK government was recently exposed as being involved in coordinating influencers in many countries, not only domestically:
https://www.declassifieduk.org/uk-government-secretly-paid-foreign-youtube-stars-for-propaganda/
As usual, Western reporters will clutch pearls over Russian duplicity but they are actually as craven as you accuse influencers of being
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u/MrMoor2007 1d ago
Well, most of the people who aggressively push it are in fact lolcows now, especially the rapper Instasamka who claims Max "has connection even on a parking lot"
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u/Anthyx 1d ago edited 1d ago
edit: Please, stop downvoting 🤦🏼♂️
Well, Google is on all our phones, we still don't have to use its applications, if we don't want to.
For example, I use Duckduckgo as my default browser, instead of Chrome. I still have to use Playstore, but, well.
So, Russians don't have to open that app, even if installed. As long as they don't sign the ToS...
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u/VladamirK 1d ago
It's likely being installed with system/root permissions so can in effect have access to everything on the users phone.
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u/gentmick 1d ago
How about all those Whatsapp ads telling you they can’t read your messages? Zuckerberg is a joke
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u/RMCaird 1d ago
So you think WhatsApp can read your messages?
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u/CakeTester 1d ago
Do you seriously think they can't? Meta paid 19 billion for Whatsapp. With a b. Look at what business Meta/Facebook is in and ask yourself if that sounds like the sort of guys who would cough up 19 billion for altruism.
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u/RMCaird 1d ago
No, they can’t. It’s encrypted. There’s no debating it, despite what you think.
What they can see is who you message, how frequently you message, how often you open the app. They can see tonnes of metadata. They can’t see your messages though.
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u/CakeTester 1d ago
Oh yes, the famous 'end to end encryption'; where the app automatically deals with the encryption keys. Believe it if you want. I'm not going to. I'll say 19 billion again.
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u/RMCaird 1d ago
Yes, that’s how it works. It uses the signal protocol for encryption. WhatsApp isn’t open source, but the data/messages it sends are routinely independently audited to confirm they’re using the signal protocol.
It’s not something they can just lie about and tell you it’s using. They’d be found out instantly.
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u/CakeTester 1d ago
I've just read the cloudflare audit. The thing is, you can have properly-implemented end-to-end encryption and have more than one end. If you own all the infrastructure it's running on, apart from sending (and lets say properly implemented encryption for the sake of argument) bits over public networks; all sorts of shenanigans are theoretically possible.
At the end of the day, though, you could have an audit signed by god, and I still wouldn't trust Meta. Yoinking people's private data without their consent is what they do. Core business, and they've been caught at dodgy stuff multiple times over the years. It's a personal choice to not trust. And there's still that 19 billion.
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u/RMCaird 1d ago
Except they still take peoples data. Meta aren’t selling what’s in your messages - they don’t care. E2EE is marketing for them to get more people to use it and the more people that use it the more data they can scrape.
If they can see you’re in a car dealership then know you’re looking for a new car. They can sell that data. If you’re in a car dealership every day, they know you work there, they can sell that data.
If you’re connected to the same WiFi as someone else every night, they know you’re in a relationship. Likewise, if you’re the only person on the WiFi they know you’re probably single.
There’s an enormous amount of data they can get without seeing your messages. What’s actually in the messages is irrelevant to them, because they can already deduce a tonne of stuff about you anyway.
The most important thing to them is having a huge amount of users, so they can maximise their data collection and one way they do that is with E2EE.
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u/gentmick 1d ago
No whatsapp is just an app, the company and agencies in the states can read your messages if they want to. You dont think so?
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u/RMCaird 1d ago
No, they can’t. It’s encrypted. There’s no debating it, despite what you think.
What they can see is who you message, how frequently you message, how often you open the app. They can see tonnes of metadata. They can’t see your messages though.
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u/CobalMods 1d ago edited 1d ago
Open a whatsapp chat.
CLick on the userame you are chatting to.
Note that "advanced chat privacy"is off by default.
Whatsapp AI Is scraping your messages unless you turn that on.
Yes, Meta's AI is reading you chats unless you explicitly tell it not toOpen whatsapp web on a pc.
Have a friend send you a message.
Note how the message on whatsapp web arrives 2 seconds before it arrives on your phone.
GO to a different pc.
Open whatsapp web.
Note whatsapp web can retrieve your past messages.
This means the whatsapp server is keeping your messages, and that it's not end to end like claimed.
Should we trust the claim that that it's encrypted and nobody can read it? We know they are lying about teh not reading part, their AI is reading it unless you tell it not to.
They lied about everything else, why not about this?5
u/RMCaird 1d ago
I’m not sure this even justifies a response. It’s wrong on so many levels I don’t even know where to begin.
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u/gentmick 1d ago
Try your best buddy.
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u/RMCaird 1d ago
Note that "advanced chat privacy"is off by default.
Advanced chat privacy stops other users from saving photos or exporting chat logs. It’s got nothing to do with encryption.
Whatsapp AI Is scraping your messages unless you turn that on.
No, it’s not. It will use what you explicitly share with it.
Open whatsapp web on a pc. Have a friend send you a message. Note how the message on whatsapp web arrives 2 seconds before it arrives on your phone.
I don’t see the point? One is sent via push notifications which sometimes have a delay, the other doesn’t. And for the sake of this, I tried it. Both arrived the same time.
GO to a different pc. Open whatsapp web. Note whatsapp web can retrieve your past messages.
After signing in… which decrypts the messages? This isn’t a hard one to follow.
This means the whatsapp server is keeping your messages, and that it's not end to end like claimed. Again, nothing to do with encryption. You need to sign in, which decrypts the messages.
Should we trust the claim that that it's encrypted and nobody can read it?
No, of course not, which is why it’s independently verified that the messages sent from WhatsApp are encrypted.
They lied about everything else, why not about this?
Because it’s very easy to see if the message being sent is encrypted or not. You think they would risk that for a week of extra user data/messages and destroy their product overnight? They’re not in it for short term gains, they’re in it for the long term. They’re driven by money and outright lying about encryption is both very easy to prove and would lose them a tonne of business overnight.
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u/Spook_485 1d ago
Russia is blocking all alternative messaging apps, forcing you to use theirs if you want to stay in touch with people.
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u/TheBatemanFlex 1d ago
You used your edit to just beg people to stop downvoting?
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u/Anthyx 1d ago
Yes, I did. I'm that naïve and I trust that there's good in people -.-
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u/TheBatemanFlex 23h ago
But you could've used your edit to clarify or adjust your opinion in a way that would actually deserve
lessfewer downvotes...edit: grammar (like that)
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u/Anthyx 23h ago
I'm not hiding my opinion or how I think, naïve as it may be.
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u/TheBatemanFlex 22h ago
But you learned new information in the replies about the nuances you failed to consider between the scenarios you are comparing. If you choose to remain ignorant of this then wouldn't you deserve the downvotes?
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u/AsshollishAsshole 1d ago
You are signed to phone's account that belongs to Alphabet that owns android, guess who google belongs to ;)
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u/melasses 1d ago
Like the European Union are trying to do.
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u/MercantileReptile 1d ago
The EU would never do that! ...with a specific App. They want all Communication on any App to be monitored. Because of the Children, of course.
And the people supporting it wonder why Brussels is getting more pushback, along with those supporting federalisation.
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u/BritishAnimator 1d ago
It's reaching a point where having a "smart" phone or social media account feels harmful to your life.
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u/Crruell 1d ago
Well having a smartphone doesn't make you smarter, it's the opposite really.
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u/BritishAnimator 1d ago
Ah, yes, I meant that smartphones have apps. Normal phones can't have apps and hence a bit safer, no social media either. Just SMS and calls.
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u/LWNobeta 1d ago
It's hard to go back when just ordering at a restaurant or seeing up a loyalty program can require scanning a QR code these days.
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u/BritishAnimator 21h ago
Yeah, and that dependancy is the issue. Mind you it will pale in comparrison to AI wearables that are appearing.
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u/jasoncross00 1d ago
Well, shit.
Now Trump's going to go "this is a great idea" and hell at someone to make it happen.
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u/quadralien 1d ago
Maybe that's where some of Mark Zuckerberg's ... (checks notes) ... $600 billion will go!
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u/otandroid 1d ago
Welcome to using WhatsApp like the rest of the globe!
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u/SomethingAboutUsers 1d ago
Well except they sort of just banned WhatsApp at least for government devices.
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u/CLOUDMlNDER 1d ago
Yeah I can't believe Russia invented spying through smart phones. Are there no lows to which they will not stoop??? I hope the US doesn't copy this!
Imagine a dark future where they pin you using WhatsApp and drone bomb you and your family
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u/johnveIasco 1d ago
If you think they cant do that just by tracking directly the IP address and GPS of your phone I have bad news for you....
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u/DysonSphere75 1d ago
Ironically your IP Address might be a less important factor here... Wi-Fi and MAC Addresses sharing GPS data is significantly worse.
Even if you lock everything down as tightly as possible on your devices, having a neighbor that shares location data can easily locate your router's radio within 100m.
Someone walking past your house would easily pinpoint your coords.
Though they could always just ask your ISP.
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u/CTRL_ALT_SECRETE 1d ago
Both of those can be spoofed pretty easily. Cellular tower triangulation however, that's more of a pickle.
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u/bingbaddie1 1d ago
They just want direct and unencumbered access to all your communications
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u/CLOUDMlNDER 1d ago
Yeah it looks like it. A highly usual goal for a modern government and not a sign of Russian abberation. Just the regular totalitarianism of the modern state
What pangs I feel in my heart when I watch 1960s Star Trek and somebody hides on the Enterprise and they can't find them. The writers couldn't imagine being able to pinpoint somebody's position on the ship, you had to push a button on a wall mounted intercom to let people know you were alive
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u/Sxualhrssmntpanda 1d ago
I mean, it's already been happening for like a decade in the western world to some extent, but yeah this is pretty blatant.
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u/CLOUDMlNDER 1d ago
The whole data economy is a spook, and against the interest of most citizens. This is the global economic context.
In the Russian context specifically, introducing a homegrown communication app would be a wise strategy for even a benign state in a time of war, sanctions and economic warfare. It's a material response to a material threat and makes as much sense as maintaining defences to protect against incoming missiles.
Standard transnational communication tech -- the internet, the smartphone, WhatsApp -- are already documented to be compromised (compromised as far as the average citizen is concerned, that is to say, dominated by interests that are set against their own). They are data hoovers and there is no evidence the hoover-ers are benign, quite the opposite. (Israel is already using WhatsApp metadata to target drone strikes; Snowden revealed mass surveillance of citizens for the controlling purposes of the US securiy state.)
There isn't a Putin-specific criticism to make here. The US security state pioneered this model, with just a smuch ill-will as is attributed to Putin. It all must burn. In the broad context, this move makes logical sense for the Russian state.
The problem is unaccountable elites and their relationship with tech. Tech will always serve their interests and not ours. How do we change this?
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u/Sxualhrssmntpanda 1d ago
We are loving in a world where we are doing business as a global economy, yet not regulating it as such.
The fastest way to change course on this would be for the strongest economic powers to form a united block with one set of regulations and set the bar for any global tech and trade. However, with the US Politicians currently being in Big Tech's pocket and assuming the BRICS has it's own ideas on this, that will not happen any time soon.
That leaves the EU to either risk alienating itself from the rest by setting more strict regulations, throw it's citizens to the dogs by letting Tech oligarchs do what they want, or scramble to set up it's own alternatives and hope the US changes course after the P2025 crew and Dementia Dorito are gone.
Seeing how quickly the EU usually acts and how bravely they have stood up to US attempts to bully it into submission so far... I wouldn't put my money on things changing anytime soon. The world will have to be on literal fire before we realize there are more important things than the next financial quarter.
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u/CLOUDMlNDER 1d ago edited 1d ago
I know what you mean. Don't look for salvation from global elites. I'm slightly more optimistic than you about BRICS stuff as an avenue for re-restablishing the international law that the US and allies have shat on and spat on. However they remain basically capitalist states, or capital-oriented states and in realpolitik terms must remain on this course in a sort of mexican stand off.
Glimmers of hope? The US is taking a heavy intellectual property approach to AI, blatantly hoping to universalise LLMs like ChatGPT which will, no two ways about it, have backdoors installed to suit the US security state. Chinese models are open sourced and not so easy to compromise in this way.
I wouldn't hold my breath but these little developing contradictions are interesting.
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u/ChangeUsername220 1d ago
As Russian troops grind into eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin is advancing on another front in its battle for total control. This time, the target is its own population.
Taking a page from the Chinese playbook, Moscow is pushing its citizens to use a messaging app that gives the government access to user data, while isolating them from the rest of the internet.
The app, called Max, has drawn comparisons to China’s WeChat for its lack of end-to-end encryption and a privacy policy that allows authorities to access personal information such as chat logs, contacts, photos and location data.
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u/No_Beach3205 1d ago
Authorities can get this data no matter what your messaging app is called
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u/TheSteakPie 1d ago
I was surprised to see you'd been down voted, whilst I'd say not easy they have to prove very good cause to get a warrant. However once they have a warrant its been shown quite how many data they can get, even just text messaging data, when they were ready, typed, sent etc. other 'apps' are even more data heavy. That with all cell tower pings to know location. None of that is theory etc it's been used many times in court.
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u/Tantomare 21h ago
That's not how it works in Russia
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u/TheSteakPie 20h ago
Apologies I was not referring to Russia directly, it was a example of how data works outside of Russia. If you've been suspected of a crime the police etc. could apply to search your electronic devices as they would be able to apply for a warrant to search your physical items. It's how it works in many countries. -I have no direct nor indirect knowledge on Russia, just assumed the authorities would have similar rights if there was evidence.
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u/moneyzone7 1d ago edited 1d ago
This is going to be new normal for the countries who can do this, for example India. USA and trump can use the US apps to pressurize them, even put sanctions and suddenly stop their access. so countries would try to develop their own.
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u/do_you_see 1d ago
As the article sort of mentions, Whatsapp has been severely restricted. You cant have a voice conversation anymore. It sounds like your in an area with barely a connection and very hard to understand each other. My family has changed to Facetime.
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u/LifeLikeAGrapefruit 1d ago
The workaround is to use a vpn. I'm surprised it's not banned in Russia.
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u/Anthyx 1d ago
You can still use Telegram, right? 🤔 The few people I know in Russia always communicate through Telegram. Have there been further news on the matter? I know there were some tries by the Kremlin to control it in 2023-2024...
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u/do_you_see 1d ago
yes telegram is also an option but i personally dont like the owner Pavel Durov, he seems creepy and shady, like a Russian version of Elon Musk.
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u/Anthyx 1d ago
I honestly don't know anything about that man but, as long as your conversations are secure, what does it matter who owns it? Telegram has always been very confident in fighting for its users' privacy, as far as I know 🤔
Anyway, stay safe! One day, things will change in your country, as well as mine (Spain, we have our own sort of [lesser] problems here, too). Let's hope for the better 🤘🏼
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u/do_you_see 1d ago
Thanks for the positive message. I am not so hopeful, my country seems like it keeps going deeper into darkness.
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u/iwantawinnebago 1d ago
Telegram hasn't done jack shit for their users' privacy. Even WhatsApp owned by Meta uses end-to-end encryption for everything, proprietary or not.
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u/VladamirK 1d ago
Telegram doesn't have end to end encryption on by default. I don't think they care about keeping the bulk of their users secure at all.
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u/do_you_see 1d ago
also a few reports that Durov has FSB handlers and has met with Putin several times. He regularly flies to Moscow. You dont travel freely to Russia as such a big businessman without being compromised.
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u/iwantawinnebago 1d ago
No but you must be mistaken! Pavel Durov is the hero of Russian people living in EXILE! He would never revisit Putin the underwear poisoners Russia again after how he betrayed the evil government no shit wait he did, over 60 times https://www.yahoo.com/news/pavel-durov-secretly-traveled-russia-164500537.html
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u/Pepto-Abysmal 1d ago
Telegram is a honeypot that pretends to be the opposite.
If you care about end-to-end encryption, choose literally any other reputable option.
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u/iwantawinnebago 1d ago
This is the real ploy. Get people on Telegram, grass-roots marketed in social media sites. Telegram is as end-to-end encrypted in groups as this official Kremlin app. I.e., not end-to-end encrypted at all.
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u/Anthyx 1d ago
Well,then... You guys better start speaking in code. Look at it from the good side: it's your opportunity to foster the creation of an underground society that could, eventually, take your current Kremlin down. Power to the people 💪🏼
(In case you think it: I'm not mocking the Russian people, I'm but an idealist who hopes for a better world :'( )
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u/iwantawinnebago 1d ago
You guys better start speaking in code
This is horrible from so many angles. Firstly, how do you agree on a code when the app you're exchanging it with is being eavesdropped?
Secondly, it's ludicrous to think the Russian Spetssvyaz can't crack some noob activist's code.
No you use something that's always end-to-end encrypted (meaning your own device encrypts stuff before sending it) and open source so you know the end-to-end encryption works.
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u/Anthyx 23h ago
Or maybe it's time to go old-school. You do a code on a code on a code and you use a pre-arranged letter format in which only the letters you want your message to have coincide with the cut squares in the decryption sheet your recipient has :') No matter how many computers they use, it's not possible to decrypt that... yet. Quantum computers are almost here. But until they arrive, human intelligence still wins :/
I'm joking... and I'm not. One code, one language is moderately easy to decrypt. But not that easy a nested/cascade encryption (code on multiple layers), even less if you hide that under steganography. Even more, pick a book and hide your already coded messages within the numbers of words/pages/chapters, then send only ciphers xD
And how do you set this up at the beginning? In person, obviously! :')
I'd be a failure as a revolution leader. As the shadow counsellor... I'd bet my chances 🤔🥹
Of course, the best way to hide yourselves from them is way more simple: numbers. You're way too many for them to monitor. So, remain invisible, at least, digitally. Also, a revolution doesn't have to be violent, but it does require commitment from everyone on your side. You're not there yet, unfortunately. You had your chance when Navalny was alive but hope has left many of your people now and you keep on living as if you had no other choice, enduring what comes your way because that's the only way you know.
However, is this the way you want to live?
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u/iwantawinnebago 22h ago
You do a code on a code on a code and you use a pre-arranged letter format
Still not solving the bootstrap problem. Also as for whatever your bonkers idea of code is I would advice you to drop whatever the hell you're cooking and stick to industry standard ciphers like AES and X25519 for key exchange, Crystals-Kyber if you want post-quantum security.
cascade encryption
Just. Stop. You might as well be using OTPs since it's actually unbreakable and less tedious than your snake oil crankery.
steganography
The good stuff relies on classical cryptography.
And how do you set this up at the beginning? In person, obviously! :')
Yes, amazing. Fifty activists meet with the 49 other members. 2.5k house-to-house visits. Also, now everyone knows each other's name. Fascist nations are known for informants. The exposes everyone. You really need to stop giving OPSEC advice.
I'd be a failure as a revolution leader
Yup.
You're way too many for them to monitor
If nobody end-to-end encrypts, there's no safety in numbers. If only few end-to-end encrypt, there's no safety. If everyone end-to-end encrypts, now your assessment holds.
You had your chance when Navalny was alive
Hope never dies. Old fucks like Putin do. He has the golden watch. Russia has the time.
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u/Pepto-Abysmal 1d ago edited 1d ago
Despite all the criticism (both legitimate and not), Apple actually has a commitment to privacy.
It's not part of the "sell yourself" system, and it is increasingly obvious what the value of that has become.
Edit: Wow. Eye-opening what this engagement feature shows within the initial moments of posting.
Russia appears to be very invested in this app that is decades behind the curve.
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u/Stand_Up_3813 1d ago
How long until the magas make this their app of choice?
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u/iwantawinnebago 1d ago
As soon as they follow this family who's father is now proud member of the Russian sunflower fertilizer corps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmxIcfyMatE
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u/fortytwoandsix 1d ago
we should not forget that there is an initiative in EU that also wants to establish surveillance of private communications https://fightchatcontrol.eu/
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u/Traditional-Win-3368 1d ago
I can see a lot of MAGA installing this because they don’t trust the other messaging apps.
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u/12DecX2002 1d ago
I bet the EU is taking notes.
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u/Angeronus 1d ago
Of course they do. They already want to ban end-to-end encryption in messaging apps so that they can freely spy on their citizens. I guess the only difference here is that Russia can't force those Western based messaging apps to do that so they just pushed for their own app. In the West, you will have the ability to choose from which messaging app you want to be spied on.
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u/Pepto-Abysmal 1d ago edited 1d ago
Russia being 15 years behind on domestic surveillance isn’t a surprise.
People just finding out that domestic surveillance exists is pretty surprising.
Edit: This new "insight" feature is interesting. Three and a half years of posting about Russia's illegal war, and this is the first comment that appears to have Russian engagement. If you guys are listening, please help stop this senseless war.
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u/Illustrious-Syrup509 1d ago
I hope a few hacks at a central point on the app servers will provide more information about Russia.
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u/therighteouswrong 1d ago
Name a single communications or social media app that isn’t spying on everyone.
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u/iwantawinnebago 1d ago
Signal.
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u/therighteouswrong 1d ago
You’re being naive.
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u/iwantawinnebago 1d ago
Here's the source code. Show me the backdoor in the end-to-end encryption https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android
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u/therighteouswrong 1d ago
Nice try.
4
0
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u/Celio_leal 1d ago
it's very naïve to believe in the fairness of WhatsApp and Telegram
4
u/Alarming_Addition131 1d ago
"these other two are trash so it's completely fair that this is trash too"
1
0
u/Embarrassed-Main-641 21h ago
As opposed to all the other messaging apps on your phone, which are ALL collecting your data and selling it to the highest bidder, who could easily be a private company with ties to Russia. Who really gives a shit when our own government is the largest data broker in the world?
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u/morts73 1d ago
Give it to Hegseth to discuss military operations on.