Telegram: The Go-To App for Extremists and Troublemakers

• Telegram, launched in 2013, has become a hub for extremist activity due to its light-touch content moderation and private chat settings.
• The app was used to coordinate anti-immigrant riots in the UK, prompting Prime Minister Keir Starmer to vow a crackdown on social media platforms.
• Unlike WhatsApp and Signal, Telegram's encryption is not end-to-end by default, raising concerns about user privacy and security.
• Extremists exploit Telegram's channel feature to spread hate speech and disinformation, making it a potent tool for radicalization.
• Governments struggle to track and control extremist activities on Telegram, especially since the platform is based in Dubai and not easily influenced by Western law enforcement.

Source: Bloomberg