Often bringing innovative features before WhatsApp, Telegram is the most popular alternative to WhatsApp. It appears that Telegram is giving away Telegram Premium to a few users, but this initiative isn’t without its drawbacks.
Telegram has launched a new “peer-to-peer login” system on Android. This lets them use your phone number to text one-time verification codes to other users so they can join Telegram. But it means strangers will see your number, and you’ll see theirs. Telegram also says you have to pay any text message fees this requires.
Even worse, Telegram won’t protect you if someone harasses you after getting your number this way. They suggest not contacting users privately after the code is sent.
The reason for doing this is to reward users who send enough verification codes with a free Telegram Premium subscription each month. Premium adds features like larger file uploads and faster downloads.
While it’s nice of Telegram to offer this, sharing personal phone numbers with strangers in this way is a major privacy risk. Text fees could also add up if enough international codes are sent. The reward doesn’t seem worth compromising privacy over.
Telegram users would be better off avoiding this new feature and keeping their numbers private. It raises serious concerns about how the app handles private contact information. Overall, this attempt at rewarding users backfired by sacrificing their privacy.
