Telegram has now reported a mass of new users over the past 72 hours. This is an uptick that was undoubtedly caused by WhatsApp’s controversial decision on data-sharing with Facebook. Before all this, WhatsApp had presented itself as a secure messaging platform. This is included having end-to-end encryption that the company has insisted is still intact.

In case you missed the news, WhatsApp updated its privacy policy. This was brought to attention through an in-app notification that users received requiring one to press the ‘agree’ button. Clicking the button then meant that you permitted the app to share certain personal information with Facebook. The data collected includes things like profile names and pictures, phone numbers, other phone numbers and more.

As expected, millions of users chose to look for other messaging platforms that do not have such policies. This migration was especially sparked by Elon Musk who endorsed Signal as an alternative to WhatsApp. This is mainly because of the level of security features the app offers in comparison to any other out there.

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Consequently, Signal has been reporting a surge in the number of users over the last few days. This is an occurrence that has even forced Signal’s developers to now come up with a couple of changes in a bid to make the app more interactive while still preserving its security. However, it seems like it’s not just Signal that’s benefitting from this unfortunate WhatsApp saga.

In a recent tweet, Telegram revealed that it has seen a surprisingly huge increase in the number of people signing up for its service.

Telegram surpassed 500 million active users. 25 million new users joined in the last 72 hours: 38% came from Asia, 27% from Europe, 21% from Latin America and 8% from MENA. https://t.co/1LptHZb9PQ

— Telegram Messenger (@telegram) January 12, 2021

About 25 million new users have joined Telegram in the past 72 hours, most of whom are from regions where WhatsApp is popular. This was even surprising for Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov who reported the spike in signups saying, “this is different.”

“People no longer want to exchange their privacy for free services. They no longer want to be held hostage by tech monopolies that seem to think they can get away with anything as long as their apps have a critical mass of users,” stated Pavel Durov in a recent channel post.

“With half a billion active users and accelerating growth, Telegram has become the largest refuge for those seeking a communication platform committed to privacy and security. We take this responsibility very seriously. We won’t let you down.”

So are you part of the migration or will you just stick to WhatsApp?