Last week, on the 13thof March, many users around the world reported issues with whatsapp, messenger and instagram, ranging from inability to send messages on whatsapp and messenger to updating feeds on facebook and instagram . This was a major problem for both Facebook – the owner of the three platforms and its millions of users.
However, as bad as this was for facebook and its millions of users, another platform was really having a good day, and this is Telegram.
Telegram – An instant messaging alternative
Telegram is a highly secured instant messaging platform which is a great alternative to whatsapp and messenger.
While its rival messaging platforms were having troubles and facing downtime, Pavel Durov, the founder of the popular secure messaging platform Telegram, claims to have had a surge in sign-ups within the 24 hours of which the downtime occurred.
Durov wrote on his Telegram channel:
“I see 3 million new users signed up for Telegram within the last 24 hours.
Good. We have true privacy and unlimited space for everyone.”
Why Telegram?
Telegram remains the best alternative to whatsapp and messenger, if not better. Since 2013 -three years before whatsapp and messenger adopted it, telegram has been offering its users an optional end-to-end messaging encryption making your conversations on the platform highly secure. This means that no one, not even telegram itself can have access or snoop into your messages.
In addition to this, telegram offers unique features on its platform which is not widely available anywhere else. For example, users can have Multiple Account, adding up to 3 Telegram accounts and easily switching between them simultaneously without logging out.
Also is the support for creating polls. Telegram offers built-in polling feature for large communities, allowing them to coordinate their activities and discuss complex issues efficiently.
Its reputation of not been a push-around has also built trust in the mind of its users. This is reflected in some of the restrictions and bans it has previously faced in countries like Iran, as well as in its home country Russia, after Durov refused to comply with government requests for encryption keys and information on its users.
Durov proudly said in a tweet:
“In 5+ years, Telegram disclosed exactly zero bytes of private data to third-parties including governments. That’s why Telegram is banned by authoritarian governments such as Russia and Iran. Other apps such as WhatsApp have no issues with there,”.
Do you use telegram? Share your experience in the comments below.
