00:00Telegram's reputation for security fell under scrutiny following the 2024 arrest of its
00:05founder, Pavel Durov, in France.
00:08He was later released.
00:09What is Telegram?
00:11Launched in 2013, Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app that lets its over 500 million
00:17users send text, voice, and video messages and share files.
00:21Its popularity is partly due to its perception of strong security, which is bolstered by
00:26the fact that countries like Iran, Russia, and Indonesia have tried to ban it.
00:31What is Telegram used for?
00:32Telegram is most popular in countries with strict censorship, like Iran, where it has
00:37over 40 million users.
00:39Its public channels, which can be created with aliases and unique URLs, are effective at disseminating
00:45information and organizing resistance, but minimal moderation makes them vulnerable to
00:50abuse.
00:51Is Telegram end-to-end encrypted?
00:53Contrary to popular belief, many Telegram features lack end-to-end encryption.
00:58Channels and group chats are not end-to-end encrypted, meaning Telegram can access that user data.
01:04Secret chats offer end-to-end encryption for one-on-one conversations, but it's not enabled
01:09by default.
01:10Users must manually turn it on for each secret chat.
01:14Does Telegram collect metadata?
01:16Telegram's privacy policy states it may collect metadata, like IP addresses, device information,
01:21and username history, and retain it for up to 12 months.
01:25However, this data is sensitive.
01:27As former NSA and CIA director Michael Hayden said, we kill people based on metadata.
01:33Is Telegram safe?
01:34Depends on how you use it.
01:36By default, Telegram's one-to-one chats aren't end-to-end encrypted.
01:40Other apps, such as Signal or WhatsApp, provide end-to-end encryption by default.
01:45Telegram users are also identified by their real phone numbers, which can be hidden from
01:49other users but are always visible to Telegram itself.
01:53Safer options exist, but in countries where Telegram is popular and blocked, ProtonVPN offers
01:58a secure way to access it.
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