Cloudflare reverses 'spyware' label for Russia's Max messenger after brief controversy

Russia’s Max messenger has had its controversial 'spyware' label removed by Cloudflare. The change came after the tag was briefly applied at the end of April. Meanwhile, another Russian app, Telega, faces ongoing disputes with Apple over similar allegations. On April 30, Cloudflare Radar flagged Max as spyware. The label was lifted just a day later, on May 1. Max’s press team explained the mistake, attributing it to a misunderstanding of web analytics headers.

Max maintains strict security measures, including regular audits and a dedicated security centre. The app also runs bug bounty programs, working with researchers to identify vulnerabilities. Cloudflare’s reversal confirmed no malicious activity was found.

Earlier in April, a different Russian messaging app, Telega, was also labelled as spyware by Cloudflare. Shortly after, Apple removed Telega from the App Store. In response, Telega’s developers filed a complaint with Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). They argued that their app contains no hidden functions and does not threaten user data or privacy. The removal of the spyware tag from Max resolves one dispute, but Telega’s case remains unresolved. The complaint against Apple is now under review by Russian regulators. Both incidents highlight ongoing scrutiny over app security and classification.