In 2018, Russia banned Telegram although it reversed the prohibition two years later. Telegram was founded in 2013 by two Russian brothers, Nikolai and Pavel Durov. Individual messages can be fully encrypted. But the user has to turn on that function. It's not automatic, as it is on Signal and WhatsApp. Also in the latest update is the ability for users to create a unique @username from the Settings page, providing others with an easy way to contact them via Search or their t.me/username link without sharing their phone number. Despite Telegram's origins, its approach to users' security has privacy advocates worried.
from ru