Facebook’s recent attempt to update WhatsApp’s privacy policy has left many users concerned and searching for a more ‘secure’ messaging platform, like Telegram. This move has sparked what Telegram founder, Pavel Durov, says is “the largest digital migration in human history” after the platform saw a massive increase in active users.
In a recent statement, Durov revealed that a number of political leaders and numerous public organizations rely on Telegram to combat misinformation and spread awareness about important issues in their societies.
He goes on to say that “unlike other networks, Telegram doesn’t use nontransparent algorithms to decide whether a subscriber will see content they subscribed to or not. As a result, Telegram channels are the only direct way for opinion leaders to reliably connect with their audiences.”
“By removing the manipulative algorithms that have become synonymous with 2010s technology platforms, Telegram channels restore transparency and integrity to public “one-to-many” communication.”
Telegram Reaches 500 Million User Milestone
Telegram has officially surpassed 500 million users – this comes after more than 25 million people downloaded the platform in the last 72 hours.
“Twenty-five million users have joined Telegram in the last 72 hours. 38% of them are from Asia, 27% from Europe, 21% from Latin America, and 8% from MENA,” says Durov.
“People no longer want to exchange their privacy for free services. They no longer want to be held hostage by tech monopolies that seem to think they can get away with anything as long as their apps have a critical mass of users.”