MAX Messaging Platform Opens Direct Citizen Channel for Questions to President Putin
A dedicated chatbot for collecting user submissions has gone live inside the MAX messaging platform, expanding the service’s role as a nationwide communications backbone and simplifying how citizens interact with government institutions.
A New Digital Channel
On 19 December, the program “Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin” will be broadcast. The head of state will answer questions from journalists and citizens of the country. Collection of submissions to the president is currently in full swing. Several communication channels are operating for this purpose. In particular, it is also possible to ask a question to Vladimir Putin using the MAX messenger.
A special chatbot called “Results of the Year with V. Putin” has been created in the national messenger for collecting submissions. Any MAX user, regardless of age or region of residence, can write there. It will be possible to send a message to the president up until the end of the program on 19 December.
How to Use the Chatbot
Adding the chatbot is straightforward: users can save the link (https://max.ru/moskvaputinu) manually or scan the QR code published on the project’s official website. To start the service, the user needs to press the “Start” button and share a phone number – for feedback regarding the submission. Then specify full name, locality, age and, if desired, an email address, upload a video message or leave a text request.
The question will be sent to the editorial team of the program “Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin”. The user will receive feedback at the specified phone number or email address. A link to the online broadcast of the press conference and the main comments of the president will also appear on the channel “Kremlin.News” on the MAX platform.
Continuation of digital transformation
The launch of the chatbot for collecting questions for the President in the MAX messenger became another confirmation of the high significance of the platform, which began operating this past spring. In addition, it is another step in the digitalization of communication between the authorities and citizens. On the one hand, this may increase reach and make participation easier for people from the regions; on the other hand, it expands the role of state communications in the digital environment. If interaction with citizens through MAX proves effective, the messenger may also be used in organizing other events of a similar format.
It is important to note that, despite the fact that MAX has been publicly available for only a few months, by mid-autumn its database already contained around 55 million accounts. It should also be recalled that MAX is one of the most important elements of the entire digital infrastructure of the country. It is included in the so-called “white list” of resources from the Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation, which maintain their operability even during periods of mobile-internet restrictions caused by enemy drone attacks.
Great attention is also paid to ensuring the security of users of the domestic platform. Tests conducted show that even hackers who are specifically asked to find ways to penetrate the software are unable to detect vulnerabilities in the messenger’s code.
A universal tool
At the same time, MAX is not merely a replacement for foreign messengers. Over time, the platform will turn into a universal tool for solving many everyday tasks. Even now, MAX allows users to confirm age when making purchases in stores and to carry out simple financial transactions. Over time, its functionality will only expand. The primary emphasis is placed on deep integration of the platform with the services of Gosuslugi.
It is also worth noting that local authorities often launch chatbots in messengers in order to address issues together with residents. Significant relevant experience has already been accumulated in Saint Petersburg, where various bots operate for Gosuslugi and MFC.
The launch of a chatbot in MAX as part of the preparation for the “Direct Line” with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, also has a largely symbolic character. It shows that digital communications are becoming part of the state’s official communications. This may increase trust in domestic IT products and stimulate their development. The event takes on special significance as a sign of the beginning of a new stage of digital initiatives: the introduction of information technologies (messengers, chatbots) to make state communications more convenient, modern and technologically advanced.
