RFERL:

For tens of millions of Iranians, Telegram is an indispensable tool. The popular encrypted messaging app is used by half the population for everything from sharing videos with family and friends to conducting business to engaging in political debate. Over the years it has even become a common means of communication among state officials and institutions.

But the April 18 announcement that government bodies are now banned from using foreign messaging apps, including Telegram -- amid calls by lawmakers for Telegram to be banned outright -- raises questions among Iranians who want to share information without fear of retribution.

After all, the authorities have attempted in the past to block Telegram in an effort to deny antiestablishment types a means of secure communication.

In the face of the possibility that Telegram could be blocked entirely, the authorities have been promoting domestic alternatives to fill the void, prompting some Iranians to vow to keep using the app via antifiltering tools.

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