Telegram is a very popular chat app that Russians and Ukrainians use to stay connected across the border. With the ongoing invasion, Telegram is in a difficult position. This is because Russia uses its security agencies such as the FSB to squeeze information, chats and private details of targeted citizens from tech companies. During any crisis, especially during war, people usually share information about the ground reality with their loved ones just to protect them.
Now, given this background, there is always the fear that Russia may overshadow the Ukrainians’ chat in an attempt to score vital ground intel. Now, another concern here is that Telegram is not end-to-end encrypted. Therefore, the chances of spying on Russian officials through chat become high.
But right now, users can really do little other than rely on Telegram and founder Pavel Durov and hope he won’t share user data with Russians. Well, the good news is that Durov has finally spoken out on the issue. While he’s promising to “stand up for our users no matter what,” he’s not talking about how his unencrypted platform will prevent Russian intrusions, nor does he make any concrete steps to protect users. Is promising to step up or introduce technical features in Telegram.
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Here’s What Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Is About Have a say about protecting user privacy During the Russo-Ukraine War
If you follow my posts, you know that on behalf of my mother, I trace my family line from Kyiv. Her maiden name is Ukrainian (Ivanenko), and to this day many of our relatives live in Ukraine. So this sad struggle is personal to both me and Telegram.
Some people wondered whether Telegram is less secure for Ukrainians, because I once lived in Russia. I tell these people how my career in Russia ended.
Nine years ago I was the CEO of VK, the largest social network in Russia and Ukraine. In 2013, the Russian security agency, the FSB, demanded that I provide them with the personal data of Ukrainian users of VK who were protesting against the pro-Russian president.
I refused to comply with these demands, as it would have meant a betrayal of our Ukrainian users. After that, I was fired from the company I founded and was forced to leave Russia.
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I lost my company and my home, but would do it again – without hesitation. I smile proudly when I read my VK post from April 2014, which shows the scanned orders from the FSB and my trademark reaction to them – a dog in a hoodie.
When I was turning down these demands, the stakes were high for me personally. I was still living in Russia, and my team and my old company were also based in that country.
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Many years have passed since then. Many things have changed: I no longer live in Russia, now there are no companies or employees there. But one thing remains the same – I stand up for my users, no matter what. His right to privacy is sacrosanct. Unprecedented.
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