Government's use of Telegram legitimizes network in Ukraine, expert warns

She shared this view on Espreso TV.

“Recently, there have been discussions about regulating Telegram. These discussions are taking place at the Center for Countering Disinformation and other government agencies that manage the Ukrainian information space. It’s crucial to address this problem,” Snopok explained.

She also noted that over 78% of Ukrainians get information from Telegram channels.

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“The presence of Ukrainian government agencies on Telegram actually legitimizes the platform. This means the state is effectively endorsing its use and does not object to citizens using it. However, if these government agencies were to leave Telegram, people might turn to anonymous channels for information instead of official sources. Over 78% of Ukrainians rely on Telegram for their news. This poses a risk that people might start consuming information from unverified sources. This issue needs to be addressed,” she added.

Telegram, based in Dubai, was founded by Russian-born billionaire Pavel Durov.