There is a new app that may replace the popular whatsApp as your messenger app of choice.

This is Telegram, which is a  free cross-platform messaging app. While the app is in many respects very similar to the prolific  WhatsApp, there are some important differences .

Telegram is in effect a new and innovative messaging service  that places greater emphasis  on privacy

In essence, Telegram is a instant messenger service that is cloud-based; which means that it is accessible over a multitude of platforms such as mobile devices and your desktop PC.  It is available on the  following mobile devices: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Ubuntu Touch, as well as on Windows, OS X,  and  Linux.  Furthermore, the application can be used to exchange more than just text and is capable of sharing photos, videos and files of any type up to 1.5 GB in size.

However, the really different and interesting  aspect of the new messaging service is its emphasis on privacy and encrypted sharing; As the logo states: “taking back our right to privacy”.

It provides  possible end-to-end encrypted messaging; as well as the ability to self-destruct messages with a built in timer.

The popularity of the  Telegram app can be seen in the fact that it gained nearly  5 million followers in 24 hours, and there are reasons for the move towards this application. One of these is that WhatsApp recently crashed because of server issues which has promted users to look for a more reliable messenger service. Secondly, the acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook has led many users to believe that at some stage WhatsApp will be monetized and include advertizing.

With Telegram you can send text or images to self-destruct after a set period of time – but it is also possible  to take screenshots of them before they destruct.  There is also secret chat that uses encryption, which in effect means that only the sender and recipient can view the messages. Telegram also stresses that no trace of the messages that are private  remain on the servers. The attractive aspect here is that there is a demand now for more secure and private interaction online – and this is an area in which  Telegram excels.

While this service is increasing in popularity  there are some negative implications. Its effectiveness as a messaging service for groups, combined with its intense encryption and privacy facilities also means that  in the “… the wake of the Paris attacks, the messaging service was revealed as the favourite of the jihadis of Isis too”. (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/86e9b154-8798-11e5-90de-f44762bf9896.html#axzz3saZnRxIf).