Telegram 101 for Journalists
Reporters and researchers working in newsrooms and at academic institutions are invited to a 1-hour training session with the Technology and Social Change team at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center, to learn how to investigate and analyze
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As Russia’s war on Ukraine escalates, Telegram continues to be an increasingly vital source of news for people in Ukraine and Russia. It is also a place where journalists and information researchers must pay attention in order to track information operations, the information ecosystem, and the dissemination of misinformation and
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In this crash course, our experts will walk you through the history, structure, and research potential of Telegram. We will offer hands-on demonstrations and tips for navigating and using Telegram in your reporting.
Suggested readings on the history of Telegram
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Once Celebrated in Russia, the Programmer Pavel Durov Chooses Exile (2014) - https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/03/technology/once-celebrated-in-russia-programmer-pavel-durov-chooses-exile.html
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Mail.ru Takes Full Ownership of VKontakte, Russia’s Largest Social Network (2014) - https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/mail-ru-takes-full-ownership-of-vkontakte-russias-largest-social-network/
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'Russia's Mark Zuckerberg' takes on the Kremlin, comes to New York (2015) - https://mashable.com/archive/russias-mark-zuckerberg-pavel-durov
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Telegram Messaging App Closes Channels Used by ISIS (2015) - https://www.nytimes.com/live/paris-attacks-live-updates/messaging-app-telegram-closes-isis-channels-after-russian-founders-rant-calling-french-socialists-responsible-for-attacks/
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60 Minutes interview with Pavel Durov (2016) - https://www.cbsnews.com/video/edward-snowden-is-my-personal-hero/
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Telegram Was Built for Democracy Activists. White Nationalists Love It. (2019) - https://slate.com/technology/2019/08/telegram-white-nationalists-el-paso-shooting-facebook.html
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In Hong Kong Protests, Faces Become Weapons (2019) - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/26/technology/hong-kong-protests-facial-recognition-surveillance.html
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‘The People Can’t Take It Anymore’: Puerto Rico Erupts in a Day of Protests (2019) - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/22/us/puerto-rico-protests-politics.html
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The 889 Pages of Telegram Between Rosselló Nevares and His Relatives (2019) - https://periodismoinvestigativo.com/2019/07/las-889-paginas-de-telegram-entre-rossello-nevares-y-sus-allegados/
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The Telegram Billionaire and His Dark Empire (2021) - https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-telegram-billionaire-and-his-dark-empire-a-f27cb79f-86ae-48de-bdbd-8df604d07cc8
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After the Capitol Insurrection, Telegram Moved to Ban White Nationalists. Today, It’s a Different Story. (2021) - https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/02/telegram-capitol-insurrection/
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In Belarus, subscribing to Telegram channels branded as ‘extremist’ may now get users in trouble (2021) - https://globalvoices.org/2021/10/15/in-belarus-subscribing-to-telegram-channels-branded-as-extremist-may-now-get-users-in-trouble/
Harm Reduction Security Guide on Using Telegram (2022)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/03/telegram-harm-reduction-users-russia-and-ukraine