> So even Telegram employees can't decrypt the chats
I very much doubt that. If Durov wanted to, they could decrypt all of those messages.
That fancy encryption system is worthless when someone can hijack the session of any of the users in a chosen group. This is a risk in many crypto messengers, but those usually come with optional key verification whereas Telegram doesn't have that outside of encrypted one-on-one chats.
This is likely why the grabbed Durov, he has the keys to the kingdom. Telegram is a remarkably small company and not a 800lb gorilla and it would be very easy for him to provide whatever they need if he folds.
Because of the nature of the encryption, it allows more convenience compared to WhatsApp and Signal. For example, on Telegram you can (and we do) have a million people in a group without exposing their phone numbers. This has proven itself to be extremely useful to protestors. Signal failed massively, you couldn't add too many people and you always had the risk of exposing the phone numbers.
Along with that, you can use Telegram on as many devices as you want. The chats instantly appear after login. WhatsApp and Signal both are lacking here.
So there are always tradeoffs when it comes to encryption and convenience.
Telegram's focus has been on the convenience side and providing assurance using a clean record of protecting user-data from governments, which is why Telegram was created in the first place.
Can the encryption be improved? Of course yes! I'd love to! but I think much of the criticism by the WhatsApp loving crowd is not only disingenuous, but also harmful.
I agree, that is very convenient.
Also for the secret police officer..
I use telegram as social media, but I really would not use it to organize protest somewhere. Then the whole safety depends on whether Durov made a deal with the secret police, or them infiltrating the servers to know everything about anyone involved. What they liked at what time, what pictures they shared, etc.
That’s my concern as well, maybe none of the devs have the capability, but if -anyone- does it’s Durov, so why not just grab him under false pretenses and throw the book at him, trying to scare him into compliance with anything they want or face the rest of his life in the worse French prison they can find for him.
I very much doubt that. If Durov wanted to, they could decrypt all of those messages.
That fancy encryption system is worthless when someone can hijack the session of any of the users in a chosen group. This is a risk in many crypto messengers, but those usually come with optional key verification whereas Telegram doesn't have that outside of encrypted one-on-one chats.