Founder predicts Telegram will reach one billion users in a year, according to One America News Network.
April 16, 2024 – 11:46 PM PDT
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Telegram messaging app, one of the most popular social media platforms, is on track to exceed one billion active monthly users within a year, according to its founder Pavel Durov.
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Telegram, headquartered in Dubai, was created by Russian-born Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition communities on his VK social media platform. He stated, “We’ll probably cross one billion monthly active users within a year now,” in an interview with U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson.
“Telegram is spreading like a forest fire.”
Durov, who owns Telegram, emphasized that the app, with 900 million active users currently, should remain a “neutral platform” and not engage in geopolitics, despite pressure from some governments.
Telegram’s main competitor, WhatsApp, has over two billion monthly active users. The app is expected to seek a U.S. listing once it becomes profitable.
Ranked among major social media platforms, Telegram is highly influential in the former Soviet Union republics, after platforms like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and Wechat.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has become a key source of unfiltered content from both sides of the conflict.
INFORMATION WARS
Durov conceived the idea of an encrypted messaging app under pressure in Russia. His brother, Nikolai, designed the encryption.
He left Russia to avoid government orders and dismissed claims that Telegram was controlled by Russia as a false rumor spread by competitors. Durov emphasized the importance of freedom over obedience to a government.
He expressed challenges in finding a home for his company due to bureaucracy and attacks in several locations, including San Francisco.
Concerns were raised over U.S. security agencies trying to access Telegram’s platform, with Durov highlighting Apple and Google’s potential censorship power on smartphones.
Telegram’s neutral stance is supported by its location in the United Arab Emirates, a country that Durov views as neutral and friendly to all.
He stressed the importance of competition of ideas for progress and a better world.
Despite his wealth, Durov owns minimal property as he values freedom above material possessions.
Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Lisbon and Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Mark Potter
