The removal of 164 Islamic State-related channels on Telegram highlights the savviness of the group in the usage of encrypted and secure messaging applications, and also draws to attention the difficulties of governments in balancing the right of privacy and the security capabilities of preventing attacks against countries.

Following recent attacks in Paris by Islamic State (IS), Telegram, an encrypted messaging application platform based in Berlin, blocked access to 164 IS-related channels in 12 languages made by the terrorist group and its supporters. The revelations added to concerns raised since December 2014 that the secure messaging app was used by IS as a preferred choice to disseminate its propaganda. But what makes Telegram so popular amongst supporters of IS?

Originally built by founders Pavel and Nikolai Durov as a means to restrict Russian security agencies’ access to their private communication, Telegram gained increased popularity as the fastest and most secure mass market messaging system, following the revelations by Edward Snowden of mass government surveillance by the United States.

… Dymples Leong is a Research Analyst at the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS), a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.