Telegram’s user base tends to increase whenever a privacy scandal hits one of its larger competitors. What makes Telegram unique is its focus on privacy, encryption, and an open-source API.

Inactive channels "created a graveyard of dead usernames that cluttered search results and prevented millions of Telegram users from selecting appropriate public addresses for their accounts ...

devices and Telegram apps used, and the history of username changes to tackle policy violations. The company would previously only disclose ip address and phone details if given a court order ...