Telegram misrepresented amid founder’s arrest
Freedom of the Press Foundation
Protecting journalists, whistleblowers, and the public’s right to know.
This is the Digital Security Training team at Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF), with security news that keeps you, your sources, and your devices safe. If someone has shared this newsletter with you, please subscribe here.
It’s Kevin Pham, intern on the Digital Security Training team, taking over the newsletter this week.
In the news
The arrest by French authorities of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in connection with alleged illegal content on the messaging app has helped foster the mistaken notion that it is a standard end-to-end encrypted messenger.?
Telegram, known for its relaxed moderation, is actually more popular for its unencrypted group chats and broadcast channels. This explains why some journalists use Telegram for their investigative work on extremism, disinformation, and global conflicts.?
Durov has previously bashed mainstream end-to-end encrypted messenger apps in favor of Telegram. He even claimed that Signal’s encryption is inferior despite evidence to the contrary.??
Johns Hopkins cryptography professor Matthew Green deconstructed these arguments in a blog this week, arguing that Telegram does not meet the definition of an encrypted messenger. “If you want to use end-to-end encryption in Telegram,” he added, “you must manually activate an optional end-to-end encryption feature called ‘Secret Chats’ for every single private conversation you want to have.” Read more here.
What you can do
Telegram should not be utilized for confidential conversations. However, we also know that more secure alternatives are banned in many regions where Telegram is popular. If you must use it for investigative or personal purposes, we recommend the following steps:
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Updates from our team
Our team is always ready to assist journalists with digital security concerns. Reach out here, and stay safe and secure out there.
Best,
Kevin
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Digital Security Training Intern
Freedom of the Press Foundation