Notes

Why is Telegram so popular with the masses
The Telegram app has also made waves overseas, with Germany considering banning the app due to an

influx of extremist content, including anti-vaccine conspiracy theories that have led to threats

of violence.

But what makes the app so popular -- it now has more than 500 million users -- and a hotbed of

scams? What can be done about its problems? The Straits Times explained.



1. Super chat group size draw

Mr Bryan Tan, a lawyer specialising in technology law from Pinsent Mason MPillay, attributes

Telegram's popularity to its large chat size of 200,000 users - compared to WhatsApp's limit of

256 users.

"This allows Telegram to be used for large groups, almost like a news site, without having to run

expensive content servers," he said, adding that the app also allows users to send large files.


2. Account registration does not require a phone number

There is an option to provide a phone number when registering for a Telegram account.

"Anonymity plays an important role in the spread of misinformation because there is no

accountability mechanism," said Edson C. Tandoc Jr, associate professor at Nanyang Technological

University (NTU).

Prof Tandoc, from NTU's Centre for Information Integrity and the Internet, added: "Take the

example of anti-vaccination groups, where people share information that may not be supported by

evidence. It's just the amount of information that is received every day that can convince some

people."

But experts say a bigger problem stemming from the growing use of Telegram and the anonymity it

provides is the formation of extremist groups.

"Coordinating terrorist attacks, supporting terrorist ideals and spreading disinformation remain

the biggest threats," said Ms Tania Chin, a partner in the criminal litigation team at law firm

Withers KhattarWong.



3. Lack of default end-to-end encryption

Dr Natalie Pang, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the Department of Communications and New Media

at the National University of Singapore, said Telegram does not offer end-to-end encryption by

default as it does with other apps like WhatsApp.

Encryption ensures that only the two users of the communication can access the information shared

in the chat.

"In other words, chats in Telegram are still at risk of being leaked and accessed by third

parties," Dr Pang said.

This means hackers can use Telegram to spread malware or ransomware to steal or lock down users'

data.


4. There is no default limit for message forwarding

While Telegram group chat owners can limit forwarding from their chats, if the option is not

selected, there is no limit to the number of times a message can be forwarded on the app.

WhatsApp, which has 2 billion users worldwide, imposed restrictions in April 2020 after the spread


of fake news related to the Covid-19 pandemic on its platform caused negative news. Under the new

rules, users can only message one chat room at a time if the message has been forwarded more than

five times.

5. Applying the ban won't solve the broader problem

Mr Benjamin Ang, who serves on the executive committee of the Internet Society's Singapore

chapter, said banning the app would force users to find other ways to share information.

"Apps and platforms come and go, so instead of trying to catch up by regulating every new platform

that comes along, the alternative is to go after those who spread extremist content or dangerous

disinformation," he said.

Media Literacy Council member Dr Jiow Hee Jhee said the risks posed by Telegram were not much

different from other apps.

"Ultimately, 下载telegram about safe digital practices will be a long-term solution," Ms Chin

said.


6. Because of its strict safety standards
Embracing ostensibly lofty goals, free services, and the experience of VKontakte's creators,

Telegram seems like a great alternative to any leading messaging app. Following WhatsApp's

takeover message and outage, the app has soared at just the right time. The company has

incentivized millions of new users to switch, but retaining those users will be an ongoing

challenge. "Phone-number-based messaging has zero or near-zero user switching costs," Union Square

Ventures partner Albert Wenger noted in a blog post, but that's only half the story. A network is

only as strong as the number of friends you have using it, and convincing all of your friends to

switch is no easy task. If Facebook thought WhatsApp users might switch on short notice, it

wouldn't have paid the company $19 billion.

Read More: https://www.telegramracn.org