Max starts tracking user content consumption
Max messenger began collecting data on users' channel and content consumption, updating its privacy policy on September 25 to include tracking interactions with channels and content for personalization purposes.
Consensus
- Max updated its privacy policy on September 25.
- The update added a new subsection (9) under section 2.1 on data processing.
- The new subsection includes information about user interaction with channels and content, including subscriptions and unsubscriptions.
- The data collection is intended for personalizing informational, entertainment, and advertising content and improving user experience.
- The previous version of the policy, from May 18, did not include this subsection.
- Experts note that messaging services generally know what users do within them.
- Max complies with Russian regulations for information disseminators and may transmit data to the FSB.
- Users of Max do not have the right to opt out of personalization, unlike in the EU.
Points of divergence
- Researchers from InterSecLab and RKS Global concluded that VK can remotely enable surveillance features in Max without user awareness. — tg_tvrain
Coverage (3 sources)
- Messenger Max began collecting data on which channels and content users watch — Радио Свобода
- Max began gathering information on what content the user consumes — Дождь (Telegram)
- Messenger Max began collecting data on which channels and content users watch — Вёрстка