Many People Switch to WhatsApp Replacement Apps, Here’s Why

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#People #Switch #WhatsApp #Replacement #Apps #Heres

Romys Binekasri, CNBC Indonesia

Tech

Saturday, 04/27/2024 08:15 IWST

Photo: topic cover/WhatsApp Hijacked & Spicy Criticism of Outer Telegram Boss/Aristya Rahadian Krisabella

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The short messaging application WhatsApp will have strong competitors. Telegram is predicted to record a new milestone in the near future, which will soon gather 1 billion monthly active users. Meanwhile, WhatsApp itself has more than 2 billion monthly active users by the end of 2023.

Telegram is a Dubai-based company founded by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov. In 2014, Durov left Russia because he refused demands to block the voices of the opposition community on his VK social media platform at that time. He then sold VK and founded Telegram.

“Our monthly active users will reach 1 billion this year,” said Durov, quoted by , Saturday (27/4/2024).

“Telegram has spread like wildfire,” he added.

Furthermore, Purov said he had received pressure from several countries to limit the exchange of certain information.

However, he emphasized that Telegram, which now has 900 million active users, will continue to be a neutral platform that is not involved in geopolitical conflicts. This is also what attracts the platform to be used by more people around the world.

A Financial Times report in March said Telegram could be listed on a US stock exchange after the company made a profit.

Telegram is included in the ranks of popular internet platforms, alongside Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and WeChat.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Telegram became one of the sources of information that did not filter its content. Even though it is considered transparent, there is also a lot of content containing disinformation spread on the platform.

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Durov guarantees that the encryption system on Telegram will make the exchange of information in it completely protected and free of government intervention.

“I would rather be free than subject to anyone’s orders,” he said.

According to Pavel, there are various methods used by the government to circumvent Telegram encryption. One of them came from the FBI.

He said the FBI once tried to recruit Telegram engineers to break into the platform’s backdoor. The FBI has not commented on these allegations.

However, he said the pressure to uphold freedom of opinion and expression does not actually only come from the government. These challenges actually come more from rivals such as Apple and Alphabet.

“These two platforms can really censor everything you read, as well as access everything on your smartphone,” he said.

Durov chose to live in Dubai because according to him the United Arab Emirates is a neutral country that wants to be friends with everyone and is not affiliated with superpower governments. He feels safe running a neutral company in that country.

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