Officials at the Russian messaging app “Max” denied any allegations related to tracking users’ use of VPNs, and stressed that the use of IP addresses is limited only to improving call quality.
The application’s media office stated: “In order to establish a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection (for calls), WebRTC technology requires an external IP address to build a direct path from phone to phone. This is the standard used for all services that make calls using this technology.” They also point out that queries sent to servers like Apple and Google are necessary to ensure that push notifications reach users, which is critical to ensuring that notifications work reliably in complex networks and in areas with restricted cellular connections.
The press office confirmed that the “MAX” application does not send inquiries to the servers of “WhatsApp” (banned, owned by a platform recognized as extremist and banned in Russia) or Telegram. They added that the technologies used are intended only to ensure the best performance of services, especially calls and notifications, and have absolutely nothing to do with collecting personal data or monitoring the use of other services, including VPN. (Russia Today)
