Messaging services are a breeding ground for scams of all kinds. And to protect its users, Telegram has just launched a new verification program, which will offer a new way to ensure that you are not communicating with a fake account.
Like other online platforms, Telegram already offers a blue verification badge for organizations and public figures. But now the app will also allow organizations it has verified to independently verify other accounts or chats.
Decentralized verification
“To further improve transparency on Telegram, official third-party services can assign additional verification icons to user accounts and chats – to prevent scams and reduce misinformation”indicates Telegram. Accounts verified by Telegram will continue to have the traditional blue badge, while accounts or chats verified by third parties will have the verifier icon next to their names.
As mentioned above, the services must themselves be verified by Telegram, to issue verifications. And they will also have to submit a request to the courier service. In any case, this decentralized approach is interesting, since it could, for example, allow a company to check all employee accounts, or even the group discussions it hosts.
Telegram is full of new features
Among the other new features announced by Telegram for the new year, there is also the possibility of transforming gifts received on the application into collectibles, which can be exchanged in the form of NFTs. The app has also just improved the inbox search filters. And Telegram has a QR code reader integrated into its camera functionality, which will allow links to be opened without using a third-party application.
An application finally profitable in 2024
In any case, 2024 was an important year for Telegram. Indeed, it finally started to generate profits. “In 2024, thanks to Premium Subscriptions, Privacy-Friendly Ads, Telegram Stars and more, Telegram has reached profitability,” reads the app’s blog post.
As a reminder, the Telegram monetization project began in 2020, when the app was about to cross the 500 million user mark. Before monetization began, it was mainly financed by the savings of its founder, Pavel Durov.
- Like other major platforms, Telegram provides a blue verification badge to organizations and public figures
- It now also allows entities it has verified to distribute verification icons to other accounts and discussions
- Telegram recently stocked up on new features for the new year
