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Telegram messaging app proves crucial to Belarus protests

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Re: Telegram messaging app proves crucial to Belarus protests

#11
post #6
post #2

Very curious how Telegram plans to monetize the app eventually given their crypto thing didn't work out.

Compared to WhatsApp, they do have access to all messages from every person (except for the few people using secret chats) and group so I'd not be very surprised if they started to mine that data somehow if they really want the money.

Which would make me not want to use it if I was a revolutionary in a totalitarian state that could get access to that data.

Re: Telegram messaging app proves crucial to Belarus protests

#12
post #2

Very curious how Telegram plans to monetize the app eventually given their crypto thing didn't work out.

Payments with bots as an entrance. Trying to copy WeChat?

https://core.telegram.org/bots/payments

Update, from the doc: «Telegram does not charge any commission for using the Payments API.»

Re: Telegram messaging app proves crucial to Belarus protests

#15
post #4
post #2

Very curious how Telegram plans to monetize the app eventually given their crypto thing didn't work out.

I honestly don’t think they do. I really think that’s just a personal project of a Russian billionaire that has enough free time and pretty much unlimited resources.

Yeah, that’s what their website claims. But it isn’t.

Re: Telegram messaging app proves crucial to Belarus protests

#16
post #9

Similar thing is happening in the States with different social media platforms (FB, Reddit until recently) which have empowered political views not reguarded as “good” by the mainstream media, but you don’t see congratulatory articles about this phenomenon, with FB even seen as Satan itself when it comes to politics.

Social media != instant messaging

Re: Telegram messaging app proves crucial to Belarus protests

#18
post #5

Considering that the app has been created by Russians (albeit ones who claim to oppose the current government of Russia), and it is popular mostly in countries that surround Russia, this is not surprising at all that it's the default choice for young people in Belarus. Telegram is a strong indicator of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_world these days.

To be fair. It's the best messaging app out there (feature-wise). It got banned in Iran because it was so influential in the protests. The channels are great for being up to date on the latest news and seeing what is happening in different cities. Groups are awesome for coordinating gatherings. It allows you to send huge files and documents. It has bots (which people used to get info on the current police location, or get VPN and proxy information). It's a great app. I wish the people behind it and its security was more transparent.

Re: Telegram messaging app proves crucial to Belarus protests

#19
post #11
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compared to WhatsApp, they do have access to all messages from every person (except for the few people using secret chats) and group so I'd not be very surprised if they started to mine that data somehow if they really want the money.

Which would make me not want to use it if I was a revolutionary in a totalitarian state that could get access to that data.

Telegram having access doesn't necessarily mean the totalitarian state gets access, though I see your point
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