How to use MAX Messenger safely and is it possible? The authorities are increasingly forcing the residents of Russia to use the country's messenger - for official correspondence, parent conversations and doctor's appointments. "The kindergarten's group chat and communication with the teachers are only available in Max. As a result, I have both Max and VK, and at work there are three more couriers + mail. Soon I will go crazy," one subscriber told DW. But how dangerous can a state envoy be? According to a recent study by MAX for Android, until October 2026 there was no evidence of tracking specific people in Messenger, but it is gradually acquiring new suspicious capabilities, for example, developers can remotely activate certain functions - checking the presence of a VPN, translating voice messages into text, etc. The user does not receive messages. "At first we thought it was a pocket policeman who knows how to read correspondence. But it turns out that it is also a pocket Roskomandzor," comments expert Leonid Yoldashev about the research in a conversation with DW. It turns out that with certain permissions on your device, MAX can determine the IP address, the mobile operator, the presence of a VPN, and what Internet services are available from the device. The MAX version we studied does not have end-to-end encryption, so messages are available to the service operator, the VK group of companies. Experts recommend using a "separate device or isolated space" for the state courier. Phones specifically designed for this purpose are called "maxophones" - some users seal their camera with tape to physically prevent video surveillance. Read more about other ways to protect your data from the Russian state emissary on the DW website.