Investigation by investigative journalism outlet IStories (EN version by OCCRP) shows that Telegram uses a single, FSB-linked company as their infrastructure provider globally.
Telegram’s MTProto protocol also requires a cleartext identifier to be prepended to all client-server messages.
Combined, these two choices by Telegram make it into a surveillance tool.
I am quoted in the IStories story. I also did packet captures, and I dive into the nitty-gritty technical details on my blog.
Packet captures and MTProto deobfuscation library I wrote linked therein so that others can retrace my steps and check my work.
How does this fit into these two pieces of news?
I guess the xAI thing might just be a money grab for Telegram and Durov.
The Russian MPs thing might be a red herring, there’s been plenty of stuff recently aimed at distracting from this Telegram story – including a brand new interview by Tucker Carlson with Durov.
Telegram and Durov knew for weeks this is coming, as the investigative journalists had tor each out for comment. So they had time to prepare their little games.
So what’s your explanation if Russia follows through on this messenger development? It’s not unrealistic at all. Do you dislike this point because it doesn’t play into your characterization of Durov? He’s been very clear that his platform is for idiots and he will comply with any government’s law enforcement. Is the scandal just that it isn’t exclusive to the USA? The west’s telecom monopolies as they extend into law and covert action can’t last forever. Other countries are rapidly developing now, and as neoliberalism continues dying it will accelerate. Telegram seems more like a product of this weird interegnum period.
I can only hope neoliberalism dies as soon as possible, it brought us to this sorry moment in time.
That would be a first for Russia to actually follow through on and complete anything of consequence, really. Would love to see it.
I don’t “dislike this point”, I have exactly zero emotions about it. I said it “might” be a red herring. It might not. I don’t have a formed opinion on it as I simply don’t know much about it. It might also be a reaction to Durov now cooperating also with “Western” law enforcement, for example. Who knows.
It does not change anything in the story.
You seem to be under the impression that anyone who has a problem with the Russian authoritarianism and imperialism must necessarily be a supporter of USA’s authoritarianism and imperialism. I can assure you a lot of people in the world are able to walk and chew gum. And that imperialism’s reach is not measured solely in imperial units.
That answers all my questions about you, like whether you’re able to provide an answer in good faith. It seems your issue is that I understood your clear subtext. I’m sure you’re not worried about a country with telecom and botnet rivals to the USA producing anything of consequence, why would you write about anything of consequence?
Hm, makes sense, but I feel like we’re still missing something.
I saw comments about Durov, similar to this investigation, maybe around a month ago.
With the xAI partnership news, I looked into it and found this nice thing:
In Telegram, you can clear them one by one, or date ranges, or use disappearing messages, but this tool still found some I had missed.
(Disclaimer: I got pulled into Telegram by some friends leaving WhatsApp with the policy changes of 2021, my threat model is less one of FSB, and more one of indiscriminate AI siphoning for ad targeting)