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Russia Lifts 2-Year Telegram Ban as Questions Over Security Surface

Russia Lifts 2-Year Telegram Ban as Questions Over Security Surface

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4 years ago

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While many experts believe that Telegram has not compromised the security of its customers, some users have reported certain anomalies.

In a sudden turn of events, Russia’s communications watchdog — Roskomnadzor — issued a public statement on June 18, announcing that it has lifted its ban on the popular messaging app Telegram. This decision comes after a two-year period of the Russian government unsuccessfully attempting to block the popular social media messaging app and its various activities within its borders.

On the matter, a number of local media outlets claimed that the reason behind the move was the government’s incompetence to curb Telegram’s use within the country. However, a spokesperson for Roskomnadzor made it clear that that the decision was taken in light of Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov’s willingness to cooperate in combating terrorism and extremism on his platform. In this regard, a statement from the watchdog contained the following message: “Roskomnadzor is dropping its demands to restrict access to Telegram messenger in agreement with Russia’s general prosecutor’s office.”

It all began with...

Since Telegram began to gain widespread user traction a few years back, Durov has been at loggerheads with the Russian government regarding the app’s overall privacy framework. Furthermore, in the past, Roskomnadzor had repeatedly demanded that Durov provide them with a host of sensitive information so that the social media platform could be included on an official government list of information distributors.

Also, this is not the first time Durov has had a run-in with Roskomnadzor. For example, back in 2014, popular social networking website VKontakte, which Durov co-founded, was on the receiving end of legal flak since Durov refused to share private data of his customers — a move that eventually resulted in him being ousted from his position as CEO, as well as him having to sell his stake in the company.

However, after failing to come to a mutual agreement, Roskomnadzor enforced a nationwide ban on the app, which apparently did not have any effect on the platform’s popularity and overall usage. For example, during the ban, an overwhelming number of people within the country, as well as many of Russia’s government bodies — such as the Foreign Ministry and national coronavirus task-force — continued to operate on the platform, using it to disseminate info on a regular basis.

Ban reversal was inevitable?

To gain a better understanding of the matter, Cointelegraph reached out to Igor Runets, the CEO and founder of BitRiver — the largest Bitcoin mining operation in Russia. In his view, the lifting of the ban was a direct result of Telegram’s widespread popularity in Russia. In this regard, he further pointed out:

“Not only does Telegram have an estimated 30 million users in Russia but also an increasing number of government agencies in Russia are using it to officially communicate with the public. For example, it has been widely used by the government to broadcast official updates related to COVID-19 during the ongoing pandemic.”

Additionally, Runets also believes that at the start of the year, the government had finally come to the realization that its efforts to ban the app had largely been ineffective. In fact, Runets stated that even Alexey Volin, the deputy minister for communication, acknowledged that it really wasn’t feasible to fully block Telegram in the country.

Echoing a similar point of view, Anzor Zhemukhov, the CEO and founder of Quube Exchange — a security token exchange — told Cointelegraph that the lifting of the ban seems to suggest that both the government and Durov have reached common ground wherein the safety and freedom of the Russian masses have been taken into careful consideration.

Durov stated on June 22 via his Telegram channel that Roskomnadzor’s decision to bring on board Andrei Lipov as its new operational head suggests that the government is now taking a new approach (or at least, reconsidered its previous stance) when it comes to overseeing various encryption-related technologies. On the subject, he further opined: “This change should be welcomed — and I hope it will last. If it doesn’t, however, we hope few users will notice any difference.”

Has Durov compromised customer safety?

On June 20, startup investor and advisor Qiao Wang posted a message on Twitter claiming that Facebook had been sending him various friend suggestions for individuals, with whom he had corresponded privately on Telegram — suggesting that the privacy-focused messaging app could no longer be trusted. In response, CoinShares chief strategy officer Meltem Demirors and prominent crypto investment advisor Josh Olszewicz also raised similar concerns.

However, Runets believes that the allegations that Telegram has been compromised and that Durov began to cooperate with government authorities are most likely only limited to the removal of posts that are linked to extremist and terrorist causes, adding:

“We see this event as an excellent example of how mass adoption of something that is impossible to effectively ban and that is useful for society wins over government’s resistance and eventually even gains official recognition of the government.”

Similarly, Zhemukhov, too, is of the opinion that there is zero probability that the Telegram founder would have undermined the security of his platform simply to gain the Russian government’s seal of approval.

With that being said, it is worth remembering that Telegram does not offer end-to-end encryption for group chats. In addition, this privacy feature is not enabled by default even for individual chats — leaving users who are not tech-savvy relatively more vulnerable to data lapses.

Furthermore, the app’s servers are closed-source and as a result, a vast majority of the platform’s chats are easily accessible by the Telegram team. And while this does not necessarily mean that the platform’s data integrity has been compromised, it does seem to suggest that Durov and his associates still possess the power to hand over certain data associated with specific Telegram accounts to Roskomnadzor at Telegram’s discretion.

Win-Win

Durov recently claimed via an online post that after having had long discussions with Roskomnadzor, he had pointed out to the government agency that it was pointless to try and censor Telegram since users could always deploy VPNs or other similar tools to bypass any restrictions. Furthermore, he explained to them that his team had devised a way to filter out and eliminate “extremist and terrorist content” from the platform seamlessly. Durov was further quoted as saying:

“Each month, the Telegram team is now preventing tens of thousands of attempts to distribute public incitement to violence and terror. [...] Telegram has developed a system preventing global terrorist acts while ensuring privacy of correspondence in line with Telegram’s privacy policy.”

Just a week after this announcement, Roskomnadzor proceeded to lift its ban. The decision was seen as a victory by many — especially digital privacy advocates within Russia — mainly because the Eastern powerhouse is known for implementing stringent cyber policies that curtail the digital expression of its people.

Now it seems that Durov has taken this development as a win and wishes to devote the anti-censorship resources developed by Telegram to countries like Iran and China where Telegram is still illegal. He believes that such a concerted effort is needed since the political situation of these countries continues to become more and more unpredictable with each passing day.

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Wendy’s has a new deal for daylight savings time haters

The Daylight Savings Time promotion slashes prices on breakfast.

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2 hours ago

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March 8, 2024

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Daylight Savings Time, or the practice of advancing clocks an hour in the spring to maximize natural daylight, is a controversial practice because of the way it leaves many feeling off-sync and tired on the second Sunday in March when the change is made and one has one less hour to sleep in.

Despite annual "Abolish Daylight Savings Time" think pieces and online arguments that crop up with unwavering regularity, Daylight Savings in North America begins on March 10 this year.

Related: Coca-Cola has a new soda for Diet Coke fans

Tapping into some people's very vocal dislike of Daylight Savings Time, fast-food chain Wendy's  (WEN)  is launching a daylight savings promotion that is jokingly designed to make losing an hour of sleep less painful and encourage fans to order breakfast anyway.

Wendy's has recently made a big push to expand its breakfast menu.

Image source: Wendy's.

Promotion wants you to compensate for lost sleep with cheaper breakfast

As it is also meant to drive traffic to the Wendy's app, the promotion allows anyone who makes a purchase of $3 or more through the platform to get a free hot coffee, cold coffee or Frosty Cream Cold Brew.

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Available during the Wendy's breakfast hours of 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. (which, naturally, will feel even earlier due to Daylight Savings), the deal also allows customers to buy any of its breakfast sandwiches for $3. Items like the Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit, Breakfast Baconator and Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant normally range in price between $4.50 and $7.

The choice of the latter is quite wide since, in the years following the pandemic, Wendy's has made a concerted effort to expand its breakfast menu with a range of new sandwiches with egg in them and sweet items such as the French Toast Sticks. The goal was both to stand out from competitors with a wider breakfast menu and increase traffic to its stores during early-morning hours.

Wendy's deal comes after controversy over 'dynamic pricing'

But last month, the chain known for the square shape of its burger patties ignited controversy after saying that it wanted to introduce "dynamic pricing" in which the cost of many of the items on its menu will vary depending on the time of day. In an earnings call, chief executive Kirk Tanner said that electronic billboards would allow restaurants to display various deals and promotions during slower times in the early morning and late at night.

Outcry was swift and Wendy's ended up walking back its plans with words that they were "misconstrued" as an intent to surge prices during its most popular periods.

While the company issued a statement saying that any changes were meant as "discounts and value offers" during quiet periods rather than raised prices during busy ones, the reputational damage was already done since many saw the clarification as another way to obfuscate its pricing model.

"We said these menuboards would give us more flexibility to change the display of featured items," Wendy's said in its statement. "This was misconstrued in some media reports as an intent to raise prices when demand is highest at our restaurants."

The Daylight Savings Time promotion, in turn, is also a way to demonstrate the kinds of deals Wendy's wants to promote in its stores without putting up full-sized advertising or posters for what is only relevant for a few days.

Related: Veteran fund manager picks favorite stocks for 2024

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Shipping company files surprise Chapter 7 bankruptcy, liquidation

While demand for trucking has increased, so have costs and competition, which have forced a number of players to close.

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2 hours ago

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March 8, 2024

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The U.S. economy is built on trucks.

As a nation we have relatively limited train assets, and while in recent years planes have played an expanded role in moving goods, trucks still represent the backbone of how everything — food, gasoline, commodities, and pretty much anything else — moves around the country.

Related: Fast-food chain closes more stores after Chapter 11 bankruptcy

"Trucks moved 61.1% of the tonnage and 64.9% of the value of these shipments. The average shipment by truck was 63 miles compared to an average of 640 miles by rail," according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics 2023 numbers.

But running a trucking company has been tricky because the largest players have economies of scale that smaller operators don't. That puts any trucking company that's not a massive player very sensitive to increases in gas prices or drops in freight rates.

And that in turn has led a number of trucking companies, including Yellow Freight, the third-largest less-than-truckload operator; J.J. & Sons Logistics, Meadow Lark, and Boateng Logistics, to close while freight brokerage Convoy shut down in October.

Aside from Convoy, none of these brands are household names. but with the demand for trucking increasing, every company that goes out of business puts more pressure on those that remain, which contributes to increased prices.

Demand for trucking has continued to increase.

Image source: Shutterstock

Another freight company closes and plans to liquidate

Not every bankruptcy filing explains why a company has gone out of business. In the trucking industry, multiple recent Chapter 7 bankruptcies have been tied to lawsuits that pushed otherwise successful companies into insolvency.

In the case of TBL Logistics, a Virginia-based national freight company, its Feb. 29 bankruptcy filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia appears to be death by too much debt.

"In its filing, TBL Logistics listed its assets and liabilities as between $1 million and $10 million. The company stated that it has up to 49 creditors and maintains that no funds will be available for unsecured creditors once it pays administrative fees," Freightwaves reported.

The company's owners, Christopher and Melinda Bradner, did not respond to the website's request for comment.

Before it closed, TBL Logistics specialized in refrigerated and oversized loads. The company described its business on its website.

"TBL Logistics is a non-asset-based third-party logistics freight broker company providing reliable and efficient transportation solutions, management, and storage for businesses of all sizes. With our extensive network of carriers and industry expertise, we streamline the shipping process, ensuring your goods reach their destination safely and on time."

The world has a truck-driver shortage

The covid pandemic forced companies to consider their supply chain in ways they never had to before. Increased demand showed the weakness in the trucking industry and drew attention to how difficult life for truck drivers can be.

That was an issue HBO's John Oliver highlighted on his "Last Week Tonight" show in October 2022. In the episode, the host suggested that the U.S. would basically start to starve if the trucking industry shut down for three days.

"Sorry, three days, every produce department in America would go from a fully stocked market to an all-you-can-eat raccoon buffet," he said. "So it’s no wonder trucking’s a huge industry, with more than 3.5 million people in America working as drivers, from port truckers who bring goods off ships to railyards and warehouses, to long-haul truckers who move them across the country, to 'last-mile' drivers, who take care of local delivery." 

The show highlighted how many truck drivers face low pay, difficult working conditions and, in many cases, crushing debt.

"Hundreds of thousands of people become truck drivers every year. But hundreds of thousands also quit. Job turnover for truckers averages over 100%, and at some companies it’s as high as 300%, meaning they’re hiring three people for a single job over the course of a year. And when a field this important has a level of job satisfaction that low, it sure seems like there’s a huge problem," Oliver shared.

The truck-driver shortage is not just a U.S. problem; it's a global issue, according to IRU.org.

"IRU’s 2023 driver shortage report has found that over three million truck driver jobs are unfilled, or 7% of total positions, in 36 countries studied," the global transportation trade association reported. 

"With the huge gap between young and old drivers growing, it will get much worse over the next five years without significant action."

Related: Veteran fund manager picks favorite stocks for 2024

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United Airlines adds new flights to faraway destinations

The airline said that it has been working hard to "find hidden gem destinations."

Published

3 hours ago

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March 8, 2024

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Since countries started opening up after the pandemic in 2021 and 2022, airlines have been seeing demand soar not just for major global cities and popular routes but also for farther-away destinations.

Numerous reports, including a recent TripAdvisor survey of trending destinations, showed that there has been a rise in U.S. traveler interest in Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Vietnam as well as growing tourism traction in off-the-beaten-path European countries such as Slovenia, Estonia and Montenegro.

Related: 'No more flying for you': Travel agency sounds alarm over risk of 'carbon passports'

As a result, airlines have been looking at their networks to include more faraway destinations as well as smaller cities that are growing increasingly popular with tourists and may not be served by their competitors.

The Philippines has been popular among tourists in recent years.

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United brings back more routes, says it is committed to 'finding hidden gems'

This week, United Airlines  (UAL)  announced that it will be launching a new route from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Morocco's Marrakesh. While it is only the country's fourth-largest city, Marrakesh is a particularly popular place for tourists to seek out the sights and experiences that many associate with the country — colorful souks, gardens with ornate architecture and mosques from the Moorish period.

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"We have consistently been ahead of the curve in finding hidden gem destinations for our customers to explore and remain committed to providing the most unique slate of travel options for their adventures abroad," United's SVP of Global Network Planning Patrick Quayle, said in a press statement.

The new route will launch on Oct. 24 and take place three times a week on a Boeing 767-300ER  (BA)  plane that is equipped with 46 Polaris business class and 22 Premium Plus seats. The plane choice was a way to reach a luxury customer customer looking to start their holiday in Marrakesh in the plane.

Along with the new Morocco route, United is also launching a flight between Houston (IAH) and Colombia's Medellín on Oct. 27 as well as a route between Tokyo and Cebu in the Philippines on July 31 — the latter is known as a "fifth freedom" flight in which the airline flies to the larger hub from the mainland U.S. and then goes on to smaller Asian city popular with tourists after some travelers get off (and others get on) in Tokyo.

United's network expansion includes new 'fifth freedom' flight

In the fall of 2023, United became the first U.S. airline to fly to the Philippines with a new Manila-San Francisco flight. It has expanded its service to Asia from different U.S. cities earlier last year. Cebu has been on its radar amid growing tourist interest in the region known for marine parks, rainforests and Spanish-style architecture.

With the summer coming up, United also announced that it plans to run its current flights to Hong Kong, Seoul, and Portugal's Porto more frequently at different points of the week and reach four weekly flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai by August 29.

"This is your normal, exciting network planning team back in action," Quayle told travel website The Points Guy of the airline's plans for the new routes.

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