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What is Telegram Messenger?
Telegram Messenger is a messaging app that works over the internet, just like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. That means you can send messages for free by using a wi-fi connection or your mobile data allowance (providing you have enough data).
According to Telegram, the service has more than 200 million monthly active users. It launched in 2013.
How does it differ from other messaging apps?
Telegram’s main selling point is security. It claims all its activities — including chats, groups and media — are encrypted, meaning even if they are intercepted, they won’t be visible without being deciphered first. However, some security experts have cast doubt on how secure Telegram is.
Which devices can use Telegram?
Telegram can be used on smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. The Telegram app is available for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Windows NT, macOS and Linux.
Who uses Telegram?
All sorts of people, but it has gained notoriety as the terrorists’ messaging app of choice. It was reportedly used by ISIS, who recommended it to its supporters and members because of its security features. Telegram responded by blocking public channels operated by ISIS to spread propaganda. But it refused to censor private messages based on “local restrictions on freedom of speech”.
Why was it banned in Russia?
Recently, a Russian court ruled that Telegram should be banned because the service refused to hand over user data. The Russian authorities claim this was to combat terrorism.
Latest developments
Messaging app Telegram, which has grown in popularity as consumers seek more privacy-centric alternatives to texting and Messenger, received a major update across multiple platforms. Once updated to version 5.2, Telegram users will be given five seconds to ‘undo’ chat or history deletion. The update brings a number of other changes, as well, including restricting all the members of a group from posting specific content and new animations.
Telegram provides mobile and desktop users with messaging functionality akin to what they get in other popular services, including Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. The service has been around for years, but has grown in popularity due to its encryption option and privacy features.
The ability to recall deleted chats and history for a few seconds after hitting the delete button is arguably the best part of the update, giving users five precious seconds to change their mind and get their data back. The ‘undo’ button is only available for those five seconds, though — after it disappears, the messages and history are permanently deleted.
In addition to the new support, Telegram v5.2 enables groups to restrict all of their members from posting specific types of content to the group. Another change also revolves around groups, namely unified group settings for toggling persistent history, making groups public, and setting admins up with granular permissions.
The update also brings new sorting options to the app’s “Contacts” menu — users can now sort based on the last time the user was seen or by their names. Finally, the update adds new animations that appear when the user is downloading or uploading media content. — Tech & Gadgets (Online).
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