

Telegram exists in a crowded social media universe, where many newer social media sites explicitly present themselves as alternatives to more established platforms, especially by opposing free speech restrictions they say are found on other sites.

It has been pressured to remove “far-right” content in Germany and has banned pro-ISIS channels in Indonesia in response to government threats to ban the app there. However, the platform hasn’t gone without its share of controversy.

The alternative social media platform Telegram has served as an important tool for journalists and civilians in conflict zones. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
