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Telegram messaging app is set to cross one billion active monthly users within a year, its founder Pavel Durov has said.
“We’ll probably cross one billion monthly active users within a year now,” Telegram’s CEO told U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson in a video interview posted on Carlson’s account on the X social media platform.
The well-known social media platform, based in Dubai, was established by the Russian-born billionaire. He left Russia in 2014 after declining to close opposition groups on his VK social media platform, which he subsequently sold.
Ep. 94 The social media app Telegram has over 900 million users around the world. Its founder Pavel Durov sat down with us at his offices in Dubai for his first on-camera interview in almost a decade. pic.twitter.com/NEb3KzWOg8
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 16, 2024
Telegram was designed to compete with WhatsApp’s dominance. Unlike WhatsApp, it allows users to access their accounts from multiple devices. It positions itself as the anti-Facebook, focusing on stronger encryption and less restrictive regulations. Its developers assert that its multi-data center infrastructure and robust encryption protocols make it more secure than its rival owned by Meta.
Durov, who is estimated to have a fortune of $15.5 billion, said, “Telegram is spreading like a forest fire.” Telegram, notably popular in the republics of the former Soviet Union, ranks among the top social media platforms, following Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat.
The former VK owner stated that Telegram is the opposite of the Russian government and that competitors had made claims to “discredit” the company. He added that two and a half million users have been signing up for the platform daily.
“We’re sort of a threat so I’m not surprised there’s this perception because our competitors spend tens of billions on marketing and they’re known for using PR firms to also engage in campaigns like that,” Durov alleged.
The battle for information
Durov mentioned that he received excessive attention from U.S. security agencies. He noted that one such agency attempted to recruit one of his engineers to create a backdoor into the platform.
Regarding freedom of speech, he stated that the most significant challenges came not from governments, but from major competitors like Apple and Google. “Those two platforms, they could basically censor everything you can read, access on your smartphone,” Durov explained, adding that they had warned Telegram about removal from their stores unless it complied with their guidelines.
He chose the United Arab Emirates as his base because it is a “neutral country” that aims to maintain friendly relations with all and is not aligned with any superpowers, making it an ideal location for a “neutral platform.”
Durov also mentioned that Telegram is used by both opposition campaigners and governments but remains impartial. “The competition of different ideas can result in progress and a better world for everyone,” he said.
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