Telegram是一家總部位於倫敦的即時通訊軟體公司，由羅斯季姆·杜羅夫（Pavel Durov）與兄弟尼古拉於2013年共同創立。該公司最著名的產品是Telegram Messenger，一個提供加密和安全性功能的即時通訊應用程式。直到2024年3月，使用人數超過9億，其中印度的下載次數最高，超過1億次。

Telegram Messenger提供多種功能，包括即時消息傳送、圖片和影片分享、語音訊息、群組聊天、頻道、機器人、貼圖和表情符號等。其最大的特色之一是強調保護用戶隱私和數據安全，提供端到端加密的聊天功能，使得消息內容只能由發送者和接收者閱讀。除了基本的即時通訊功能外，Telegram還推出許多其他產品和功能，包括Telegram Passport（用於安全證明身份的工具）、Telegram Bot API（用於開發機器人的API）、Telegram Payments（用於在應用程式中進行付款的功能）等。Telegram在全球範圍內擁有數以億計的用戶，並且在許多國家都很受歡迎。由於其強調隱私和安全，以及豐富的功能和易用性，Telegram已成為許多人選擇的主要通訊工具之一。

在2024年3月，Telegram的創辦人帕維爾·杜羅夫（Pavel Durov）在英國金融時報的專訪中表示，該公司計劃在明年在美國進行首次公開募股（IPO），預計估值約為300億美元。這款通訊軟件對用戶的規範相當低，被中國譽為黑暗版的微信。它允許在平台上進行各種交易，並優先保護用戶的隱私。由於拒絕遵守當地政府的監管要求，Telegram在許多國家被禁止使用。俄羅斯於2016年開始封鎖該平台，隨後印尼、伊朗和巴基斯坦也相繼加入禁用Telegram的行列。為分散風險並避免集中控制，Telegram的伺服器分散在世界各地，使任何國家都難以強迫提供數據。因此，它被網友戲稱為小暗網。

Telegram is an instant messaging software company headquartered in London, founded jointly by Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai in 2013. The company's most famous product is Telegram Messenger, an instant messaging application that offers encryption and security features. As of March 2024, it has over 9 billion users, with the highest number of downloads in India, exceeding 100 million.

Telegram Messenger provides various features including instant messaging, photo and video sharing, voice messages, group chats, channels, bots, stickers, and emojis. One of its key features is its emphasis on protecting user privacy and data security, providing end-to-end encrypted chat functionality, ensuring that message content can only be read by the sender and receiver.

In addition to its basic instant messaging features, Telegram has also introduced many other products and features, such as Telegram Passport (a tool for securely proving identity), Telegram Bot API (an API for developing bots), and Telegram Payments (functionality for making payments within the app). Telegram has millions of users worldwide and is popular in many countries. Due to its emphasis on privacy and security, as well as its rich features and user-friendliness, Telegram has become one of the primary communication tools for many people.

In March 2024, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, stated in an interview with the Financial Times that the company plans to conduct its initial public offering (IPO) in the United States next year, with an estimated valuation of around $30 billion. The software allows various transactions on its platform and prioritizes user privacy. Due to its refusal to comply with local government regulations, Telegram has been banned in many countries. Russia began blocking the platform in 2016, followed by Indonesia, Iran, and Pakistan. To diversify risks and avoid centralized control, Telegram's servers are distributed worldwide, making it difficult for any country to compel data provision. Hence, it has been jokingly referred to by netizens as a "small dark web."

照片:DALLE3