Khaberni - Russia is heading towards tightening its grip on the digital space, by gradually banning the WhatsApp application within the country and replacing it with a local application named "Max", in a step that falls within a series of previous decisions targeting prominent Western platforms.
This move raises many questions about Moscow's goals and the implications of this direction for users and the future of the Russian internet, according to a report broadcast by Al Jazeera from journalist Rania Dridi.
WhatsApp, the most widely used app globally, joins the list of Western applications banned in Russia, a decision justified by the authorities as part of the confrontation they describe as the West's use of digital tools to fight them internally and externally.
This approach follows the gradual cessation of voice and video communications via WhatsApp since August, as a precursor to a complete ban for reasons Moscow says are security-based.
Nikolai Novichkov, a member of the Russian Duma, justifies the decision by stating that the continued use of WhatsApp allows Ukrainian intelligence and "terrorist or extremist organizations" access to Russian citizens' information.
Novichkov pointed out that the scale of crimes committed through WhatsApp is severe, and that the resulting damage is estimated in billions of rubles.
Simultaneously, Moscow strengthens what it calls "digital sovereignty" by launching the "Max" application as a local alternative to WhatsApp. The application has seen significant proliferation in a short period, attributed by some to the mandatory downloading since last September along with an extensive official promotional campaign.
However, digital rights expert and director of the Digital Rights Center, Sarkis Darbinyan criticizes the new application, considering that "Max" offers less protection for user privacy compared to WhatsApp.
According to Darbinyan, the new application uses encryption approved by the Russian security service, stores users' data and directly links it to their numbers, raising concerns related to surveillance and privacy protection.
The Russian public is divided between those who refuse to give up WhatsApp and those who accept the fait accompli. While some users insist they are accustomed to WhatsApp and do not want to switch to "Max", others believe they will have to adopt it if necessary, while a third group states they have already begun using the new application as their surroundings gradually switch to it.
Meanwhile, many Russians continue to use WhatsApp through virtual private networks, despite the ban's implementation, although this possibility diminishes as authorities move to legally pursue users of "VPN" applications, imposing fines and potential penalties on them.
This path, in the opinion of observers, cultivates a more closed digital landscape in Russia, bringing it closer to the Chinese model in controlling cyber space, while the ban on WhatsApp is seen as a security political decision aimed at reducing the influence of foreign companies, but its success depends on the alternative application's ability to gain the trust of millions of Russian users.
