this post was submitted on 09 Dec 2024
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About 70 percent of Ukraine's population uses Telegram as their main source of news, but the government is worried that the app is being used as a method of disinformation and spying by Russia. They are trying to pivot to apps like Signal instead, but it is difficult to break the habit of such a majority of the country.

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[–] bobr@lemmy.libertarianfellowship.org 33 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Imagine entire country using coms software operated by the enemy.

Do I get it right that you know that

  • Pavel Durov (the creator of Telegram) has left Russia after refusing to give government information on Ukrainians during 2014 protests (from his previous project - VK, also used by both people in Russia and Ukraine)
  • Russian government's most extensive blocking campaign/attempt was targeted at Telegram
  • Telegram's headquarters are in UAE

and still somehow make a conclusion that "it is operated by the enemy" (assuming that by enemy you mean Russian government)? I'd like to learn more about this logic :)

[–] poVoq@slrpnk.net 26 points 1 week ago (2 children)

There are some credible rumors that Durov had financial issues during the pandemic and went back to Russia to strike some sort of deal with the regime there, which would also explain why since then there have been no further attempts to block Telegram in Russia.

[–] bobr@lemmy.libertarianfellowship.org 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

What gives those rumors credibility other than "Russia bad"?

If you have links to some sources with some facts - I'd very much like to read them

[–] Rose@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] bobr@lemmy.libertarianfellowship.org 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Thanks, that was an interesting read :)

Of course it doesn't prove anything (especially that Telegram sends any information about Ukrainians to Russian government!), but at least those allegations indeed have more credibility than the usual "Russia bad". It also doesn't say anything about Durov doing something because he had financial problems. And what it definitely doesn't say is that "Telegram is operated by Russia".

[–] granolabar@kbin.melroy.org -2 points 1 week ago

Yeah next you are going to ask us to prove that signal shares meta data with nsa, other wise it doesn't happen

🤡

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 week ago

Did your regime propagandists tell you that?

[–] Boomkop3@reddthat.com 5 points 1 week ago

Didn't Pavel get arrested in France?

[–] Korkki@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Every social media that isn't under anglo american control is a possible threat to the current global order. We have all seen this.

[–] cone_zombie@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 week ago

The first time I can't tell whether it's sarcasm or not. This is what .world userbase looks like

[–] Petter1@lemm.ee 0 points 1 week ago

Where? Tiktok?

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Of course they would do that. Nobody would use it if the server was in putin's bedroom.

Unless it's auditted and open source then you should assume its spyware.

[–] bobr@lemmy.libertarianfellowship.org 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Unless it's auditted and open source then you should assume its spyware.

I do. I use Matrix and recommend it to all my friends.

"Telegram is spyware" was not the original thesis I replied to, it was about "operated by the enemy".

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

All software not under my direct control and personnal audit is operated by the enemy until proven otherwise.

windows, voidtool everything, irfanview, wiztree, Lemmy.ml gmail.com reddit.com youtube.com, my bank's website. All operated by the technocapital enemy.

I use nothing from russia but you better believe everything out of them is considered in the enemy camp.

[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

voidtool everything

what? did they do something questionable?

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 week ago

No, it is great praise from me that I still use them. But I will purge all proprietary software and all uses of "someone else's" computer from my life.

[–] granolabar@kbin.melroy.org -3 points 1 week ago

A girl can leave Russia but Russia never leaves the girl;)

How naive are you?

Even if everything you say can be assumed to be true, the risk from national security perspective is unacceptable during a time of war.