Перевод интервью с Павлом Дуровым (TechCrunch 2015) #1

TL;DR

Telegram was built to provide cross-device access, support large files and documents, enable richer group communication, and protect private conversations. By 2015, it was delivering more than 12 billion messages daily, while its three-month-old bot platform was already supporting services in dating, education, productivity, advertising, and other fields.

Transcript

see here yeah hello hello my name is Mike Butcher I'm editor at large with tech crunch based out of London and a plane um pav durov you created uh telegram after the uh creating V contact to the uh effectively the the Facebook of Russia um but now you've gone on to create telegram which is to some extent reminds me of of WhatsApp really um and yet ... Read More

Key Insights

• Telegram was delivering more than 12 billion messages daily in 2015, exceeding the 10 billion daily messages announced during the previous month. The interview also identifies the service as having more than 60 million users at that time.
• Telegram was designed to address limitations Durov associated with WhatsApp, including dependence on a working phone, missing cross-device synchronization, restricted document and large-media sharing, group-chat limitations, and insufficient privacy.
• Privacy is presented as protection against interception, coercion, and blackmail, not merely as a feature for business customers. Durov cites a friend who was shown a printout of her WhatsApp messages at a police department and says those messages were used in an attempted blackmail effort.
• Telegram's bot platform allowed third-party developers to create automated pseudo-users through simple APIs. Users could communicate with a bot inside Telegram while software handled the messages on the other side, supporting services in dating, education, productivity, and other areas.
• The bot ecosystem was only three months old, yet Durov said one successful bot company had already received an eight-digit acquisition attempt. He viewed this as evidence that independent startups could emerge, create value, and potentially earn money through Telegram's platform.
• A payment API was being considered so third-party bot developers could accept money directly from Telegram users. Advertising was already appearing through some opt-in bots, although Durov said he was not personally enthusiastic about advertisements.
• Pornographic bots were blocked in markets where pornography was prohibited, including Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Durov characterized this as a business and platform-perception decision, while distinguishing such restrictions from political censorship and the disclosure of private user data.
• Telegram was operated by a small team of 15 people that could rent houses temporarily and work from different countries. Some design and customer-support work was outsourced to Eastern and Southern Europe, while Durov emphasized independence from outside investors.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did Pavel Durov create Telegram?

Pavel Durov says Telegram was created because existing messaging applications had significant limitations. He specifically criticizes dependence on a functioning phone, missing cross-device synchronization, restrictions on sending documents and large media, limitations in group chats, and weak privacy. Telegram was intended to combine accessible communication across devices with broader sharing capabilities and stronger protection for private messages.

Q: How large was Telegram during the 2015 interview?

Telegram had more than 60 million users during the 2015 TechCrunch interview. Durov said the company had announced 10 billion messages delivered daily during the previous month, but a check earlier on the interview day showed that daily delivery had already risen to more than 12 billion messages.

Q: Why did Durov consider messaging privacy important?

Durov argues that private communications can be valuable targets for interception and blackmail. He recounts that a friend was presented with a printout of her WhatsApp messages at a police department, where the messages were allegedly used in an attempt to blackmail her. He says businesses and wealthy people face particular risks because their information may be especially valuable.

Q: How did Telegram's bot platform work?

Telegram's bot platform allowed any third-party developer to use simple APIs to create a bot that appeared as a pseudo-user. A person could send messages to that bot through Telegram, while a machine processed the communication on the other side. Developers were already using this model for dating, education, productivity, advertising, and other services.

Q: Could developers build businesses using Telegram bots?

Durov believed third-party developers could launch startups and make money through Telegram's bot ecosystem. Although the platform had existed for only three months, he said the company behind one successful bot had already received an eight-digit acquisition attempt. Telegram was also considering a payment API that would let bot developers accept money easily from users.

Q: Why did Telegram block pornographic bots in some countries?

Telegram blocked pornographic bots in markets where pornography was prohibited, including Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Durov says blocked porn websites had begun reappearing as Telegram bots, attracting users and creating an unwanted association between Telegram and pornography. He describes the restrictions as business decisions intended to shape how the platform was perceived in those markets.

Q: How did Telegram approach political speech and government data requests?

Durov says Telegram maintained firm principles regarding privacy and freedom of speech. He states that the company had not disclosed a single byte of data to third parties, including governments, throughout its existence. He also says Telegram would not block a bot merely because it criticized a government or supported opposition activity.

Q: How was Telegram operated without outside investment?

Durov says Telegram preferred to remain independent and had enough money to continue developing the platform according to its own priorities. The company operated with a team of 15 people, rented houses temporarily in different countries, and outsourced some design and customer-support work to Eastern and Southern Europe. The team had recently worked from Finland and Paris.

Summary

In this interview, Pavel Durov, the creator of Telegram, discusses the purpose and features of the messaging app. He explains why he believes Telegram is superior to other messaging platforms like WhatsApp, emphasizing its cross-device sync, ability to send large files and documents, and its focus on privacy through end-to-end encryption. Durov also discusses the recent introduction of the bot platform on Telegram, highlighting the potential for third-party developers to create successful bots and even make money through the platform. He addresses concerns about censorship and blocking certain types of content, stating that Telegram blocks porn bots in countries where porn is prohibited to maintain a certain image. Durov also touches on his experiences with the Russian government and his decision to leave Russia, as well as his thoughts on the future direction of Telegram.

Questions & Answers

Q: What sets Telegram apart from other messaging apps?

Telegram differentiates itself from other messaging apps by addressing the limitations and shortcomings of existing apps like WhatsApp. While WhatsApp may be popular, Durov asserts that it lacks features such as cross-device sync, ability to send large files/documents, and privacy. Telegram aims to provide a superior experience by offering these features.

Q: Why is privacy and end-to-end encryption important for Telegram?

Durov emphasizes the importance of privacy, sharing a personal story of a friend who had her WhatsApp messages intercepted and decrypted by the police. He explains that privacy is not only relevant to individual users but also to businesses, as their information could be compromised or used against them. By providing end-to-end encryption, Telegram ensures that users can trust that their messages cannot be intercepted.

Q: Can you elaborate on the bot platform on Telegram?

Durov explains that the bot platform, introduced in June, allows third-party developers to create bots using a simple API. These bots can provide various services and interact with users on Telegram. Already, many services have been created using this platform, and some have even received acquisition offers. Telegram sees the potential for third-party developers to make money on the platform and is considering launching a payment API to facilitate this.

Q: Could the bots on Telegram become advertising channels for brands?

Durov confirms that some bots on Telegram are already being used to send ads. While he personally dislikes ads, Telegram allows users to opt-in to receive messages from these bots. Durov mentions that there is even a third-party bot agency specializing in advertising. He sees the bot platform as an opportunity to create an ecosystem of services, which could potentially include advertising.

Q: Why does Telegram block porn bots in certain markets?

Durov explains that Telegram blocks porn bots in markets where porn is prohibited. This decision is made to prevent Telegram from being seen as a source of porn. He states that this reasoning aligns with the decisions made by other platforms like Apple, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to block similar content. Durov emphasizes that Telegram's commitment to user privacy and freedom of speech remains strong.

Q: Is Telegram concerned about its association with terrorists using the platform?

Durov acknowledges that terrorist organizations like ISIS may use Telegram for communication. However, he believes that privacy is more important than the fear of bad things happening. Durov points out that even if Telegram were not available, these organizations would find alternative means of communication. He emphasizes that Telegram does not feel guilty and is committed to protecting user privacy.

Q: Do you plan on expanding Telegram beyond just messaging?

Durov explains that Telegram will experiment with the bot platform, as well as a payment system and third-party applications. However, he notes that Telegram does not see itself becoming an all-encompassing platform like WeChat in China or LINE in Japan. While Telegram will offer additional services, its primary focus will remain on messaging.

Q: How does Telegram plan to compete with larger messaging apps like WhatsApp?

Durov acknowledges that Telegram's user numbers may not compare to the larger messaging apps, but he believes that comparing Telegram to apps that are six years old is not fair. He suggests that considering Telegram's growth and success within just two years, its numbers are still significant. Durov indicates that Telegram is not focused on announcing specific user numbers but continues to focus on offering a quality messaging experience.

Q: What are the next big goals for Telegram in terms of user numbers?

Durov does not provide specific numbers but mentions that Telegram continues to grow and is gradually moving towards larger user numbers. He expresses that announcements regarding user numbers are not a priority for Telegram right now.

Takeaways

In this interview, Pavel Durov discusses the features and benefits of Telegram, highlighting its advantages over other messaging apps like WhatsApp. Privacy is a core focus for Telegram, offering end-to-end encryption to ensure user messages cannot be intercepted. The introduction of the bot platform presents opportunities for third-party developers to create services and potentially monetize their bots. Durov also addresses concerns about censorship, privacy, and Telegram's association with terrorist organizations. Despite comparisons to larger messaging apps, Durov remains focused on providing a quality messaging experience rather than solely striving for user numbers.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Pavel Durov presents Telegram as an alternative to messaging applications limited by device dependence, weak synchronization, restricted file sharing, constrained group chats, and inadequate privacy. He says Telegram had more than 60 million users and was delivering over 12 billion messages daily when the TechCrunch interview took place in 2015.

• Privacy is described as valuable to ordinary users, businesses, wealthy individuals, and anyone whose communications could be intercepted or used for blackmail. Durov says Telegram had never disclosed a single byte of user data to third parties, including governments, and would not suppress bots created for government criticism or opposition activity.

• Telegram's bot platform allowed third-party developers to create automated accounts through simple APIs. Bots were already serving dating, education, productivity, advertising, and other use cases. Durov also discussed a possible payment API, Telegram's content restrictions in selected markets, its small distributed team, and its preference for financial independence.