Connect with us

Latest News

Telegram: The libertarian chat app’s global ascent

Published

on

The messaging network, which was established in Russia, has maintained a low profile in Western countries. However, it boasts a substantial user base of hundreds of millions globally and serves as a significant factor in the Ukraine conflict.

Tendencies towards libertarianism

Pavel Durov, who was detained upon arrival in Paris on Saturday aboard his personal aircraft, initiated the platform in 2013 alongside his brother Nikolai.

It asserts a user base of 950 million, a significant increase from 550 million in 2022.

In April, Durov expressed to Tucker Carlson, a conservative American journalist, that users greatly appreciate the platform’s privacy and freedom.

Telegram has prominently emphasized its refusal to surrender or trade user data, setting itself apart from the economic strategies employed by American competitors like as Meta or Google.

News channels in Russia and Ukraine enjoy more popularity compared to traditional media outlets.

However, the site has faced persistent criticism for its inability to effectively filter and control the dissemination of extremist content.

Durov, whose net fortune is estimated at $15.5 billion by Forbes, stated in March to the Financial Times his intention to enhance the moderating mechanisms.

However, he stated that until individuals violate certain boundaries, he believes it is unnecessary to monitor or control how they choose to communicate.

However, he also stated that the company has a limited workforce of only a few dozen individuals, a factor that experts argue may not be sufficient to ensure a sufficiently safe platform.

  • Russian ancestry:

The individual, who was 39 years old at the time, gained recognition in 2006 by establishing the social network VKontakte (VK) shortly after completing his studies at St Petersburg State University.

Millions of people registered and it rapidly gained the reputation of being “Russia’s Facebook”, which caught the attention of the Kremlin.

He stated that he had to resist the requests made by the Russian security agencies to provide information about opposition groups utilizing VK for coordination.

Subsequently, he faced significant coercion to surrender the personal information of pro-European activists in Ukraine.

As a result of these experiences, he established Telegram and then divested his ownership in VK in 2014, ultimately departing from Russia.

In 2017, he established his presence in Dubai, deliberately avoiding the stricter regulatory systems of the European Union and the United States.

Durov holds dual citizenship of the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts and Nevis as well as French nationality, which he acquired in 2021.

  • Legal issues:

French prosecutors allege that Telegram has neglected its responsibility to regulate information and cooperate with the authorities.

The highlighted information includes instances of fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, glorification of terrorism, and cyberbullying.

The company has asserted that it cannot be held accountable for the actions of its users, a legal argument commonly employed by major technology platforms.

Several nations have attempted to impede access to Telegram in previous instances.

In 2018, Iran said that it was harboring violent opposition organizations.

In the same year, Russia admitted to its failure to surrender encryption keys.

Brazil temporarily imposed a block on it last year due to its failure to furnish data on neo-Nazi organizations, while Spain took action against it for intellectual property infringements.

  • No earnings have been generated thus far –

Until 2018, Telegram was solely financed by Durov. However, it secured a substantial amount of $1.7 billion in funding to initiate its own digital currency.

The cryptocurrency venture collapsed following the denial of approval by US regulators, leading to the business refunding a significant portion of the invested funds.

In 2021, the messaging service started displaying advertisements while maintaining that it would not utilize users’ personal data for the purpose of targeting.

In 2022, a high-end subscription system was implemented.

Durov informed the Financial Times that his company is earning a substantial amount of income, amounting to hundreds of millions, and has the aspiration to become profitable in the near future.

Additionally, he did not exclude the possibility of conducting an initial public offering on the stock exchange.

wealth,Despite his consistent affirmation that his objective is not centered around amassing wealth.

“My main goal in life was to achieve freedom,” he informed Carlson, emphasizing that Telegram was created to enable individuals to freely express themselves.

Business

Irfan Siddiqui meets with the PM and informs him about the Senate performance of the parliamentary party.

Published

on

By

The head of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Standing Committee and the PML-N’s parliamentary leader paid Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif a visit in Islamabad.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Parliamentary Party’s Senate performance.

Additionally, Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs’ performance.

He complimented the Prime Minister on his outstanding efforts to bring Pakistan’s economy back on track and meet its economic objectives.

Continue Reading

Business

SIFC Increases Direct Foreign Investment: Investment in the Energy Sector Rises by 120%

Published

on

By

The Special Investment Facilitation Council is intended to help Pakistan’s energy sector attract $585.6 million in direct foreign investment in 2024–2025. The amount invested at the same time previous year was $266.3 million.

This is a notable 120% rise, mostly due to investments in gas exploration, oil, and power. Such expansion indicates heightened investor confidence and emphasizes the development potential in important areas.

The State Bank reports that foreign investment in other vital industries has increased by 48% to $771 million.

This advancement is a blatant testament to SIFC’s efficient investment procedure and quick project execution.

The purpose of the Special Investment Facilitation Council is to establish Pakistan as an investment hub by aggressively promoting regional trade and investment in the energy sector and other critical industries.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Speaking to a press conference, Marriyum Aurangzeb says the PML-N government has restored the trust of investors.

Published

on

By

According to Marriyum Aurangzeb, senior Punjab minister, the PML-N government has won back the trust of investors by making strides in a number of areas, including agriculture.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, speaking at a press conference in Lahore, emphasized the Punjab government’s initiatives to bring about major changes in the province, particularly in Lahore.

Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that in order to guarantee sustainable growth, the master plan for Lahore has been completed, and plans of a similar nature are being worked on for other districts.

Continue Reading

Trending