Blink Transmits User Data to VK Despite Public Rivalry
iPhone has its own privacy report for apps, which records when each app accessed geolocation, camera, or microphone and which domains it connected to.
Consensus
- Blink transmits user location data to VK servers
- Blink does not use end-to-end encryption for user data
- Blink publicly criticizes VK's Max messenger
- Blink publicly criticizes Artemy Lebedev
- Blink's leadership includes former or current VK employees
- Blink began operations in 2023
- Blink's core feature is location-based messaging
- Blink's public campaign against Max and Lebedev includes TikTok videos with high engagement
Points of divergence
- Blink's location tracking occurs every few seconds, enabling detailed route reconstruction — meduza
- Blink was launched after the closure of the French app Zenly — novaya_eu
- Blink's TikTok responses to Lebedev received nearly 200,000 likes on the first video — tvrain
- One blogger claimed Blink is one of the few apps where users can chat without enabling a VPN — novaya_eu
- Blink's videos cite a specific clip from Lebedev's show — novaya_eu
Coverage (4 sources)
- Blink positions itself as a messenger for Gen Z and attacks 'Max'. It also sends user data on where they went to VK servers. — Meduza
- In the messenger Blink, they pretend to fight with Max and Artemy Lebedev. But they send user data to VK — Дождь
- In the messenger Blink, they pretend to fight with Max and Artemy Lebedev. But they pass user data to VK — Дождь (Telegram)
- One Blink and you're in VK — Новая газета Европа