Anti-government protesters in Russia are increasingly relying on an encrypted and officially banned messaging app to pass on information in critical situations, from dodging riot police to giving those arrested a line to the outside.
Although officially banned in Russia, Telegram is still running, and experts say it's harder to hijack than other popular platforms.
Sergey Sanovich, a postdoctoral scholar at the Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University, says the app is better than others at effectively coordinating protests. If someone wants to join the grass-roots, protest group Bessrochka, for example, the group's website instructs users to join a"protest navigator" on Telegram. The navigator then provides new users with a list of channels which offer a steady flow of information about the latest opposition activity or political topic, and chats which link new recruits with other activists in their area.
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny on Monday launched a bot to help users navigate his Smart Vote initiative, a tactic the opposition is hoping will break the monopoly of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party at the Moscow City Duma elections. The bot quickly tells users which candidate to vote for according to their address.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Putin is the greatest gift to NATO since the end of the Cold War, ex-CIA chief saysRussian President Vladimir Putin has given NATO a 'reason to live again' and is one key factor behind the resurgence and improved capability of the military alliance.
Read more »
This $6 Piece of Aluminum Will Change the Way You CookMeet the simple, chef-y tool that will revolutionize your weeknight dinner.
Read more »
Hong Kong braces for weekend protests as leader fails to appease activistsHong Kong is bracing for more demonstrations this weekend, with protesters threa...
Read more »
Bergdorf Goodman Gives Buzzy Fashion Brands a PlatformThe iconic New York retailer is shining a light on emerging designers.
Read more »
Technology firms vie for billions in data-analytics contractsIn 2021 “AI augmentation” could create $2.9trn of “business value” and save 6.2bn man-hours globally
Read more »
Apple And Burberry Team Up To Create Dazzling iOS AppsWhen Apple’s enterprise app division meets luxury fashion, the results are impressive.
Read more »