THE BALLROOM

THE BALLROOM Telegram | DID YOU KNOW?

Launched in 2013, Telegram allows users to broadcast messages to a following via “channels”, or create public and private groups that are simple for others to access. Users can also send and receive large data files, including text and zip files, directly via the app.The platform said it has more than 500m active users, and topped 1bn downloads in August, according to data from SensorTower.

In many cases, the content resembled that of the marketplaces found on the dark web, a group of hidden websites that are popular among hackers and accessed using specific anonymising software.“We have recently been witnessing a 100 per cent-plus rise in Telegram usage by cybercriminals,” said Tal Samra, cyber threat analyst at Cyberint.The rise in nefarious activity comes as users flocked to the encrypted chat app earlier this year after changes to the privacy policy of Facebook-owned rival WhatsApp prompted many to seek out alternatives.THE BALLROOM from US