In a recent move, the encrypted messaging app, Telegram, has taken steps to restrict access to a number of channels associated with the Palestinian militant organization, Hamas. This comes in the wake of their increased activity following the October 7 attacks on Israel.
The official Hamas account, as well as the news outlet 'Gaza Now,' are no longer accessible on versions of Telegram downloaded from Google Play or Apple's App Store, as reported last week. This action is attributed to Telegram's co-founders, Nikolai and Pavel Durov.
Hamas has been utilizing Telegram as a platform to disseminate its anti-Zionist message. The app's lenient content moderation policies have allowed the group to broadcast real-time violent videos and images of their attacks on Israel. In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, both the Qassam Brigade and Hamas' official channels saw a substantial increase in subscribers, with the former gaining nearly half a million new subscribers and the latter adding 100,000.
Notably, 'Gaza Now,' described as "Hamas-aligned" by the Atlantic Council, witnessed a significant surge in its subscriber count, soaring from 343,506 to nearly 1.9 million.
It's worth mentioning that other extremist groups, including ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda, have also utilized Telegram as a means to propagate their ideologies and claim responsibility for various attacks.
While Telegram has not publicly disclosed the reasons for its recent restrictions, it's important to note that Google Play mandates apps featuring user-generated content to moderate against "egregious content, including content that promotes terrorist acts, incites violence, or celebrates terrorist attacks."
Hamas, based in the Gaza Strip, has been designated as a "terrorist" organization by several nations, including the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Paraguay.
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