digital passport

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that designates the Max messaging app as a digital passport, allowing users to verify their age and identity at public venues using a QR code. The app is mandatory for civil servants, public employees, and students, with non-compliance risking dismissal or expulsion. The Max app consolidates essential documents and communication tools, raising privacy concerns as user data becomes accessible to state agencies, including the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Critics describe the initiative as a move towards a tightly controlled system, with some referring to it as a “digital GULAG.” Russian authorities are promoting the app's integration into citizens' lives as part of a broader agenda to control digital existence.