Following Pavel Durov’s recent arrest in France, the spotlight has shifted to Telegram, the messaging platform he co-founded with his brother Nikolai. Since its inception in 2013, Telegram has surged in popularity, amassing over 950 million monthly active users, primarily due to its strong focus on secure messaging.
What is Telegram?
Telegram stands out among alternative messaging applications, offering users the ability to send messages, make voice calls, and conduct video calls at no cost. Competing platforms include Signal, Viber, and Discord, though the latter is predominantly favored by gamers. While Telegram may not enjoy the same mainstream recognition as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Snapchat, it has successfully established a significant niche. This success can be attributed to its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, and the capability to broadcast messages to a large audience.
Joining Telegram is straightforward; users simply download the app from their preferred app store and create an account using their mobile number. However, to communicate with contacts, those individuals must also have Telegram accounts. This means that Telegram does not serve as a complete substitute for SMS texting, which allows for communication with anyone, regardless of their chosen platform.
How do Telegram groups and channels work?
One of Telegram’s most appealing features is its ability to facilitate communication with large groups of people through group chats and channels. Channels can be either private or public, and users can join them via an invitation from the owner or by searching for them. Once a user joins a channel, they receive updates in the app’s chat section, similar to interactions with friends and family.
Some channels allow for comments, while others permit limited interactions, such as liking or reacting to posts. These posts can vary widely, encompassing web links, memes, polls, and even disappearing stories. Telegram groups can accommodate up to 200,000 members, and channels can have an unlimited number of subscribers. Anyone can create a group or channel, post updates, and appoint additional administrators or members.
Is Telegram encrypted?
While all chats and calls on Telegram are encrypted to some degree, only certain types of communication offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE), the gold standard for data security. E2EE ensures that only the sender and recipient can access their messages, preventing third parties, including the service provider, from viewing the content. However, E2EE is not enabled by default for all chats and calls; it is available only for one-on-one interactions when users select the Secret Chats option.
Secret Chats come with additional privacy features, such as the inability to forward messages and the option to set a self-destruct timer, ranging from one second to one week. For other communication types, including group chats, group calls, livestreams, and channels, Telegram employs secure client-server encryption. This process encrypts data on the user’s device, sends it to Telegram’s servers in a secure format, and then decrypts it on the recipient’s device. Telegram asserts that all data stored on its servers is encrypted, with encryption keys stored separately from the data they protect, enhancing overall security. In contrast, both WhatsApp and Signal provide E2EE by default, although some privacy-conscious users remain wary of WhatsApp due to its ties with Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
What countries have banned Telegram?
Telegram has encountered numerous bans and restrictions globally, often clashing with authorities over political, security, and cultural issues. In Durov’s home country of Russia, Telegram faced a ban from 2018 to 2020 due to the company’s refusal to provide encryption keys to the government. Iran’s relationship with Telegram has also been tumultuous, with the government blocking the app in 2018, accusing it of facilitating protests and disseminating inappropriate content.
Pakistan temporarily blocked Telegram in 2017 and imposed a complete ban the following year. Indonesia’s government restricted the app in 2017 over concerns about terrorist content, leading to a temporary block until Telegram agreed to eliminate channels associated with terrorism. More recently, in 2023, Brazil briefly suspended Telegram for allegedly failing to comply with an investigation into neo-Nazi groups on its platform. Spain attempted to block the app earlier this year due to copyright concerns raised by media companies, but the ban was later suspended following public backlash.
Why was Pavel Durov arrested?
Pavel Durov was reportedly detained at Bourget Airport near Paris as he arrived on his private jet. French prosecutors stated that the arrest was part of an investigation into crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions on the platform. The arrest of the 39-year-old tech entrepreneur elicited a strong response from Moscow, which urged Paris to respect Durov’s rights. Additionally, Elon Musk, owner of X, criticized the arrest, claiming it represents an infringement on free speech in Europe. In a statement following Durov’s arrest, Telegram asserted, “Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe,” emphasizing that it is absurd to hold a platform or its owner accountable for the misuse of that platform. The company further noted its compliance with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and its commitment to improving moderation standards.
