• Source:JND
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Telegram, a widely used social messaging app, is facing the possibility of being banned in India following the recent arrest of its CEO and Founder Pavel Durov in Paris. The union government, now on high alert, has initiated an investigation to determine whether Telegram is violating any regulations in India. The Ministry of Information Technology has sought details from the Ministry of Home Affairs as part of this inquiry.

With over 5 million users in India, a ban on Telegram could significantly impact a large user base. Telegram, a social media platform that has surpassed 1 billion downloads on the Play Store, offers several features that set it apart from other messaging apps like WhatsApp. Here’s the list of some unique features of the messaging application:

Telegram Unique Features

Secret Chat: Telegram provides a secret chat feature for user privacy, ensuring that screenshots cannot be taken within these chats. While WhatsApp offers a lock for private chats, it lacks a comparable secret chat function.

ALSO READ: 'He Has Nothing To Hide': Telegram Reacts To CEO Pavel Durov’s Arrest In France

Multiple Profile Pictures: Telegram users can upload multiple profile pictures under the same account, displaying them one after the other. WhatsApp, on the other hand, allows only one profile picture at a time, though users can upload multiple images in their status.

Adding Nearby People: The People Nearby feature on Telegram allows users to add new contacts based on location access. WhatsApp requires users to scan a number or QR code to add new contacts.

ALSO READ: Telegram Ban In India Soon? Centre Investigates Platform Over Extortion, Gambling Following Pavel Durov's Arrest, Says Report

Custom App Icons: Telegram offers both free and paid options for custom app icons, allowing users to choose from various designs such as default, vintage or premium. WhatsApp provides only a single app icon.

Voice-to-Text Conversion: Telegram’s premium subscribers have access to a voice-to-text conversion feature, enabling users to read voice messages. WhatsApp is reportedly working on introducing a similar feature.