Google Play removes Russia-controlled social media Max, VK
on Google
The Russian social media app Max has been removed from the Google Play app store its mother company VK announced in a press release on July 16.
The Russian government has been increasingly restricting access to social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram and instead pushing Russian users to the app Max, the development of which was supervised by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).
"VK and Max applications have disappeared from Google Play. The installed services and applications operate as normal without restrictions," VK said.
The EU placed sanctions against companies and individuals associated with the development of Max on July 13, as well as Russia's largest social media platform VK, formerly known as VKontakte.
Max "comes pre-installed on all mobile devices sold in Russia and includes extensive surveillance features, later used for repressive actions against users criticizing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine or posting other content banned by authorities," explained an EU press release when justifying the new sanctions.
Google's move follows Apple's June 25 decision to remove both VKontakte and Max from its app store.
The VK press release notes that its apps remain available for download in other app stores, for example RuStore, which has been owned and operated by VK.
But earlier on July 16, VK announced it was selling the RuStore app store to Dmitry Pankrushchev, the CEO of its developer company.
The European Commission did not respond before publication to a question from the Kyiv Independent if the sale of RuStore should be interpreted as an attempt to free the app store from the bloc's new sanctions measures against VK.
