The Telegram messaging app, launched in 2013, has rapidly ascended the ranks to become one of the most downloaded applications globally. Its private chat feature has fostered a space for open dialogue across various regions. However, this same characteristic has also rendered it susceptible to the spread of misinformation, a consequence of its lenient content moderation policies. Recently, the app was implicated in inciting anti-immigrant riots in the UK, prompting Prime Minister Keir Starmer to announce intentions to regulate social media platforms that contributed to the unrest.
What is Telegram App?
Telegram is a text-based chat service that bears similarities to WhatsApp, yet it also incorporates features akin to social media platforms like X or Facebook. With hundreds of millions of users worldwide, it serves as a venue for storytelling, group discussions, and channel creation, allowing for subscriber engagement.
How Private is Telegram App?
The level of encryption provided by Telegram remains somewhat ambiguous. Unlike WhatsApp and Signal, which employ end-to-end encryption by default, Telegram reserves this feature for users who initiate a “secret chat.” In such chats, messages become unreadable to Telegram and potential eavesdroppers.
What Was Telegram’s Role in the UK Riots?
In the wake of the tragic murder of three young girls in northern England on July 29, extremist groups leveraged Telegram channels to incite hatred against Muslims and disseminate information regarding locations and targets for violent actions. A study conducted by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a London-based anti-extremism think tank, examined 16 prominent Telegram channels and groups that were actively sharing anti-Muslim and anti-migrant content related to the riots. Following the unrest, six channels directly linked to the riots were removed from the platform on August 5 and 6. A spokesperson for Telegram stated that their moderators were diligently monitoring the situation and removing any channels or posts that contained calls to violence.