In a world of ever-advancing technology, we have now implemented a move from WhatsApp to Telegram for our group communications. Telegram is a tried and proven platform used by millions of people across the world. But of course, with change comes reluctance by some.
So, why are we migrating our Owls groups from WhatsApp to Telegram?
1) We have spent over 6 months thoroughly planning, researching and debating this move at the committee level – it is NOT in any way connected to the current social media hype doing the rounds. We have 4 people on the committee that are highly proficient in IT, two of them can be considered expert level (whose everyday business is in this arena).
2) We are NOT doing this for reasons of communications security. Telegram is at least on a par with WhatsApp where GROUP chats are concerned. But at present, we do not see the security of our communications as any cause for concern as we do not see any reason why any hacker would want to infiltrate the traffic on our groups. But having said that, Telegram considers their platform safer than WhatsApp.
Here are a few clips direct from Telegram themselves:
Q: How secure is Telegram? (original link)
Telegram is more secure than mass market messengers like WhatsApp and Line. We are based on the MTProto protocol (see description and advanced FAQ), built upon time-tested algorithms to make security compatible with high-speed delivery and reliability on weak connections. We are continuously working with the community to improve the security of our protocol and clients.
Q: What if my hacker friend says they could decipher Telegram messages? (original link)
Anyone who claims that Telegram messages can be deciphered is welcome to prove that claim in our competition and win $300,000. You can check out the Cracking Contest Description to learn more.
Any comments on Telegram’s security are welcome at security@telegram.org. All submissions which result in a change of code or configuration are eligible for bounties, ranging from $100 to $100,000 or more, depending on the severity of the issue. Please note that we can not offer bounties for issues that are disclosed to the public before they are fixed.
- You are also welcome to review all the current Telegram FAQ’s at https://telegram.org/faq
3) Functionality – Telegram offers a number of significant functionality advantages over WhatsApp and this is our main reason for the change.
4) WhatsApp only allows a maximum of 256 people on a group, a long time bone of contention – Telegram caters up to 200,000. Because our groups require significantly more than 256 participants (remember each member household can have 2 or even 3 names on the contact list) we currently have to run 2 separate OWLS Alert groups. That means we have to watch both carefully, day and night, and waste time posting over from one group to the other. Time is of the essence and we have long feared a delay here could have a negative consequence.
5) As group hosts/creators/admins, we are legally liable for any malicious/fake news/inappropriate posts etc that any member puts up. In WhatsApp, we have to ask the member concerned to remove it FOR ALL but this often backfires as they delete it only for themselves by mistake. WhatsApp does not allow any further action on that message so it stays there now “in the public domain” and liability to us. Telegram allows us at admin level to delete any content we consider inappropriate. This is a very big factor for us.
6) Telegram allows us to prepare messages and schedule them for delivery to the groups at a chosen time/date. The advantage of this as a time management tool is obvious. It also allows us to send non-urgent messages at any time of day or night but mute sound and vibration when it comes into your phone, irrespective of what your phone is set to.
7) You can use Telegram on your phone, your tablet, and your computer – all simultaneously. Managing large groups, we use this function a lot switching between phone and PC. Download it at https://desktop.telegram.org/
8) Telegram allows you to edit a message after you have posted it – how many times do we see corrections to messages after the event. Now we can go back into the message and make the correction in the original text.
9) Folders – Telegram allows you to create folders so you can arrange busy communications screens. Individual users may have simple needs but many of us are on multiple groups (not just OWLS) and it can be time-wasting and inefficient searching for the chat you want to find.
10) Channels – Telegram offers “channels” whereby you can broadcast messages to many people (not a two-way communication tool, more like a blog). We see this as a tool for the future for Owls.
11) Other – there are many other features and advantages for us using Telegram. To list them here would not really serve any real purpose.
It should be understood that Telegram offers us all so many advantages over WhatsApp. WhatsApp has been fantastic for us and got us to where we are now, but Telegram with its much newer technology is like a leap forward. We don’t see any reason for members to delete WhatsApp from your other general communications – that is a personal choice. For us though, as a very hard working committee ever searching for improvement, Telegram is a tried and proven platform that offers us serious advancement.
We urge members to give it a try – what have you got to lose? If you feel technically challenged and need some help loading Telegram, please private message us on owls@owlsknysna.co.za and one of our committee members will assist you – please understand though we have to fit this in with our own busy work schedules so it may have to be after hours.