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3 December 2024

Public Messengers in Russia: Advantages and Disadvantages

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eXpress
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Messengers have become a familiar way of communication for millions of people - they help not only to communicate, but also to work, share ideas, and do business. All messengers can be divided into two main categories: public and corporate. In this article, we will focus on public messengers, their features, advantages, and disadvantages, and also explain why they are not always suitable for corporate communication.

messengers

What are public messengers

Public messengers are messengers available for use by a wide audience without special restrictions. Unlike corporate solutions, such platforms do not require signing any contracts, and their infrastructure is usually located outside the organization. They provide basic communication functions: text messages, voice and video calls, file sharing. However, public messengers do not have mechanisms for access control or protecting confidential information.

The popularity of public messengers is due to their versatility. Among the main factors are:

  • Simplicity of the interface and availability on any device.
  • The ability to quickly contact friends, colleagues or like-minded people around the world.
  • Video calls, media sharing, automation through bots - all this simplifies communication.
  • The main functions of most messengers are provided for free.

Examples of public messengers

Now that we have figured out what public messengers are and how they differ from corporate solutions, let's take a closer look at the most popular of them.

One ​​of the most famous is Telegram, which attracts users with its high speed and user-friendly interface. Telegram is also known for its channels, which allow you to broadcast content to a large number of people. This makes the platform popular among bloggers and the media. Telegram also supports large groups, bot automation, calls, and convenient file storage.

WhatsApp is a market-leading messenger with over 2 billion users. It is easy to use, syncs with your phone book, and allows you to create groups for communication. WhatsApp also allows you to make voice and video calls. And businesses can use WhatsApp Business.

Viber also offers free calls and "public chats". This platform is convenient for personal communication and work with clients, with the ability to create polls and use stickers. Viber has business tools such as Viber Business.

Discord became popular among gamers and communities, and later began to be used by various teams, most often in the IT sector. Its special feature is the support of low-latency voice channels and the ability to stream. In addition, Discord easily integrates with other services.

The Signal messenger is known for its end-to-end encryption and lack of user data collection. However, its audience is smaller, as Signal offers limited functionality compared to other messengers.

Finally, WeChat is a Chinese platform that goes far beyond the usual messenger. In addition to communication, it includes functions for paying for services, games, social networks, and even e-commerce. However, due to strict control by the Chinese authorities, using WeChat is associated with some risks.

Cons of public messengers

One ​​of the main problems with using public messengers is the lack of control over data flows. The infrastructure of most public messengers is located outside of Russia, which makes it impossible to control where the data is transferred and how it is used. This is especially critical for the public sector. Such messengers often become targets for cybercriminals, and in some cases, data can become available to foreign intelligence agencies.

Public platforms are focused on mass use, so they do not have built-in functions for corporate administration. This creates difficulties if you need to restrict access, delete confidential information or prevent leaks.

For Russian companies, these risks are aggravated by legislative restrictions. According to Federal Law No. 149-FZ, the use of foreign messengers is prohibited for the exchange of corporate information in state and strategically important enterprises. Roskomnadzor maintains a list of prohibited platforms, including the popular WhatsApp, Telegram, and Zoom. Violating this ban is punishable by large fines: from 30,000 rubles for officials to 700,000 rubles for legal entities.

Although public messengers are convenient and functional, their use in the corporate environment raises serious questions. For companies, not only speed and convenience are important, but also data security and compliance with regulatory requirements. This is where public platforms face criticism.

How can companies protect corporate communications?

  1. Choose platforms with local infrastructure. To ensure security, data must be stored within the company or on servers located in Russia and comply with legal requirements. This eliminates the risk of information leakage outside the country.
  2. Use solutions certified by FSTEC and other regulators. Choosing products that comply with state security standards ensures the protection of confidential information and reduces the likelihood of fines for non-compliance.
  3. Provide centralized control. Corporate platforms must provide administration capabilities, including access control, file sharing control, and security policy settings.
  4. Train your employees. Even the most reliable system won't save you if your employees use unsafe work methods. Training your employees in information security principles and rules for working with corporate data helps reduce the risk of human error.

Superapp eXpress as an alternative to public messengers

The eXpress platform, developed by Unlimited Production, is a universal and secure solution for corporate communications. Such platforms are called super apps, as they combine several key functions:

Messenger, which allows you to: 

  • Exchange text messages in real time.
  • Create group chats to discuss projects.
  • Share files, documents and multimedia while maintaining privacy.
  • Use advanced access rights settings: the administrator can restrict forwarding, downloading and access to information for different categories of users.

Video conferencing

  • Support for high-quality video calls even at low internet speeds.
  • The ability to hold conferences with a large number of people.
  • Screen sharing functions, connecting assistant bots, recording meetings.
  • Security settings, including access to the conference by password.

SmartApps is a unique technology that allows you to integrate applications and services adapted to business needs into the platform.

  • You can add internal and external services to automate tasks, such as electronic document management systems, email services, CRM and many others.
  • Startups allow users to work in a single window mode and not switch between different applications and browser windows.
  • Flexible integration settings allow you to connect only the necessary functions, which makes the platform as convenient as possible.

Security is the foundation of the eXpress platform. All messages, calls and files are encrypted with end-to-end encryption, and access to the system is provided through three-factor authentication and centralized management. The platform complies with the requirements of the FSTEC of Russia for working with confidential information, and its local placement on the client's infrastructure eliminates the transfer of data outside the company.

If you want to learn more about the capabilities of eXpress or see the platform in action, contact us by phone +7 499 288-01-22 to conduct a demonstration of the solution. We will tell you in detail about the platform and answer all your questions.

Do you want to try eXpress in your company?

Get a free consultation from our specialists.