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Russia has threatened to block access to the Telegram messaging platform unless the company that runs the app provides more information about itself (via Sky News).

The head of communications regulator Roskomnadzor, Alexander Zharov, said repeated efforts to obtain the information had been ignored by the company and warned that "time is running out" for the app.

Telegram-app.jpg
"There is one demand and it is simple: to fill in a form with information on the company that controls Telegram," Zharov said in an open letter. "And to officially send it to Roskomnadzor to include this data in the registry of organizers of dissemination of information. In case of refusal... Telegram shall be blocked in Russia until we receive the needed information."
Telegram's non-response appears to be down to the repercussions of handing over the requested details: Doing so would effectively add it to the state regulators' registry, which would require it to retain users' chat histories and encryption keys and share them with authorities if asked, according to Russian news agency TASS.

The demand isn't the first time the Russian founders of Telegram - Kremlin, Nikolai and Pavel Durov - have failed to comply with state requests. In 2014, the Durovs refused to turn over data on Ukranian users of Vkontakte, a social network they also set up together.

Telegram claims to split its encryption keys into separate data centers around the world to ensure "no single government or block of like-minded countries can intrude on people's privacy and freedom of expression".

According to the group's policy, it can only be forced to hand over data if "an issue is grave and universal enough to pass the scrutiny of several different legal systems around the world".

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Russia Threatens to Ban Encrypted Messaging App Telegram
 

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,994
Anytime, any app that comes out in favour of customer's privacy, it is promptly blocked and banned by governments. Just in the name and sake of terrorism prevention. This ruse that governments use to spy on people will not last long. The real ones are always able to find a way, and the innocent ones have to bare their a**es for the government.
 

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
16,261
11,763
Hope they can stand long.
But I fear we are continuing a losing battle against government data mining.
 
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WestonHarvey1

macrumors 68030
Jan 9, 2007
2,791
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Telegram is unsafe. Use Signal or WhatsApp.
[doublepost=1498233652][/doublepost]
That may be, but no Mac client is a huge pitfall today. At least for me. I have managed without a phone in my pocket for 6 months now, just because I had Telegram on the Mac. (I do not make and receive more than 3-4 calls a month)

You can use the Chrome app. Not as ideal as a native app but it is a viable Mac desktop client.
 

sudo1996

Suspended
Aug 21, 2015
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Berkeley, CA, USA
I wouldn't trust Telegram anyway.

Also, has nobody figured out a distributed chat system that's easy to use and can't really be taken down without blocking the entire Internet? Sounds like some combination of Tor + whatever messaging app you want would at least protect anonymity, though they could still read the messages.
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,627
9,933
I'm a rolling stone.
I wouldn't trust Telegram anyway.

Also, has nobody figured out a distributed chat system that's easy to use and can't really be taken down without blocking the entire Internet? Sounds like some combination of Tor + whatever messaging app you want would at least protect anonymity, though they could still read the messages.

Now there, that's an idea, make a message app that includes encryption, VPN and Tor.

If only I could code, I would steal your idea.:p
 

bladerunner2000

Suspended
Jun 12, 2015
2,511
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*this.

Still surprises me every time I hear people go on about Telegram... it is inferior, there are better options. If security is your concern and you are trying to have friends/family switch to a new messaging platform anyway, use Signal:

https://www.eff.org/node/82654

Even Whatsapp is rated higher than Telegram, lol. And afaik, it's security is based on Signal's.
 

KALLT

macrumors 603
Sep 23, 2008
5,380
3,415
Hopefully they don't just disappear and are shut down and we have to find a cross platform messenger that doesn't involve any major social media company.

Telegram has already turned into a social-media company itself.

As noted by the article, Telegram is controlled by the people who used to be in charge of the Russian equivalent of Facebook. It is this connection that the Russian Government ostensibly uses to put pressure on them to comply with their demands. Too risky and high-profile for me. Their server infrastructure as well as crypto implementation (which they invented themselves) is still closed-source and apparently not audited that often (at least I find little information other than a reference to an audit in 2015), whereas the apps’ source code is chronically outdated. We don't actually know how things are operated behind the scenes.
 

JosephAW

macrumors 603
May 14, 2012
6,320
8,585
Yes. I've been a member of ВКонтакте (VK) since 2006. Much better than Facebook.
 

sudo1996

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Aug 21, 2015
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Berkeley, CA, USA
Now there, that's an idea, make a message app that includes encryption, VPN and Tor.

If only I could code, I would steal your idea.:p
Actually, what I'm saying is just focus on a general-purpose anonymous proxy for HTTP (or maybe TCP in general), then use anything on top of that. Problem with Signal and such is that you have to get others to use it, then you're all screwed if it gets banned. But again, what I describe will not protect your messages, only your identity. So just don't say your identity in your messages, and I guess it's fine?
 
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sudo1996

Suspended
Aug 21, 2015
1,496
1,182
Berkeley, CA, USA
Anytime, any app that comes out in favour of customer's privacy, it is promptly blocked and banned by governments. Just in the name and sake of terrorism prevention. This ruse that governments use to spy on people will not last long. The real ones are always able to find a way, and the innocent ones have to bare their a**es for the government.
I'm more worried about private parties reading my messages and getting screwed over like this. I don't send messages like those, but there's probably always someone important somewhere who will be offended by other things.
 
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