Telegram registers 25 million new users within 72 hours
The messenger service Telegram has gained around 25 million new users within 72 hours. As Russian app founder Pavel Durov announced on Tuesday, the platform currently has around 500 million monthly active users. This brings Telegram closer to its US competitor WhatsApp.
The surge in Telegram downloads came shortly after WhatsApp introduced new privacy terms. The new rules allow more data to be shared with parent company Facebook. The changes have drawn criticism because users outside Europe who do not agree to the terms before February 8 will be barred from the app.
"People no longer want to give away their privacy for free services," Durow said, without referring specifically to WhatsApp. Telegram is the "biggest haven" for those seeking a private and secure communication platform, he added. Durow assured users that his team "takes this responsibility very seriously."
The messaging app was founded in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov, who also launched the Russian online network VKontakte. Because Telegram refuses to cooperate with authorities and share encryption, the app is banned in Russia and elsewhere. (SDA)
