{"id":363343,"date":"2024-05-21T01:54:04","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T01:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/?p=363343"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T21:00:00","slug":"","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/?p=363343","title":{"rendered":"<span>The mystery of Telegram<\/span>"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><!--[--><!--]--><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-content-body\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-formatted-body article-formatted-body article-formatted-body_version-2\">\n<div xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\">\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/9ef\/171\/a62\/9ef171a62b4838858fa24aa24fe0df0c.webp\" width=\"1456\" height=\"728\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>This article was originally posted at <a href=\"https:\/\/productidentity.co\/p\/3-telegram-the-mysterious-messenger\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Product Identity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>What comes to your mind when you hear the word\u00a0<em>Telegram<\/em>?<\/p>\n<p>I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if drugs, sex, or crypto are your first associations. Throughout the years, Telegram earned a shady reputation, perhaps not strategically, but for a \u201cgood\u201d reason.<\/p>\n<p>I feel like Telegram is a mystery. On the outside, it might be perceived as a platform designed for drug traffickers, crypto scammers, and sexual abusers.<\/p>\n<p>I shared this feeling when I joined the early team of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coindesk.com\/markets\/2017\/06\/12\/150-million-tim-draper-backed-bancor-completes-largest-ever-ico\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Bancor<\/a>\u00a0in 2016, as I also joined its internal group chat, needless to say, on Telegram.<\/p>\n<p>However, the app was quickly removed from my list of stigmas. Instead, I started to appreciate Telegram for its well-crafted product and care for design. From its meticulous attention to small details to have a unique brand \u2014 it stands as a dogma of an opinionated product (and a company) in many aspects. In addition, it helped me recognize the benefits of separating my private and professional lives early on.<\/p>\n<p>After using Telegram extensively over the past 7+ years, I feel the urge to write about it, but this time not in the spirit of its typical news headlines.<\/p>\n<h2>Under the radar<\/h2>\n<p>For years Telegram has lived in the shadow of other messaging apps. In a matter of just one week in February 2014, two big announcements were made:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2014\/02\/13\/japanese-internet-giant-rakuten-acquires-viber-for-900m\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Rakuten acquired Viber for $900 million<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2014\/02\/19\/facebook-buying-whatsapp-for-16b-in-cash-and-stock-plus-3b-in-rsus\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These moments have seemingly marked WhatsApp and Viber as the great winners of that time, gaining a huge financial fortune.<\/p>\n<p>Seven years later, another member of the instant messaging apps family,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/signal.org\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Signal<\/a>, earned a somewhat aristocratic reputation as the new beloved child of some famous tech figures.<a href=\"https:\/\/productidentity.co\/p\/3-telegram-the-mysterious-messenger#footnote-1-135820727\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">1<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780q1\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/13b\/9d6\/efb\/13b9d6efba8556609ae19380bbf6bcd0.jpeg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"996\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/13b\/9d6\/efb\/13b9d6efba8556609ae19380bbf6bcd0.jpeg\" data-blurred=\"true\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Although Telegram isn\u2019t as popular as its competitors in the Western mainstream, it still serves hundreds of millions globally.<\/p>\n<p>In my inner circles, Telegram is widely known but rarely utilized. I believe this reality has been perceived for several reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Popularity in countries with less attractive economies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The company&#8217;s unwillingness to become a TikTok-mainstream app<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Extremists have made a bad impression on outsiders<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Messengers like WhatsApp and iMessage have become the default for family and close friends chats. These apps were primarily designed for 1-on-1 and small group chats. Their dull interfaces might seem tedious for craftsmen, but that\u2019s what appeals to most people.<\/p>\n<p>With the rise of the smartphone, and as mobile broadband has become cheaper, it was only a matter of time before the future of SMS would become the same as the CD-ROMs. WhatsApp and iMessage have become the default for text communication, leaving the old SMS app a place for receiving spam and marketing messages.<\/p>\n<p>On the contrary, Telegram has found its place in the world of work\/business.<\/p>\n<p>From early on, Telegram groups, called\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/tour\/groups\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">supergroups<\/a>, were designed to support a huge amount of members, going all the way from 1,000 to 200,000(!!!) throughout the years. With enhanced admin moderation tools, it takes on a more classic software vibe reminiscent of mIRC or vBulletin forums, rather than a casual instant messaging app. It often seems like Telegram competes directly with community chat apps like Discord or Slack, instead of instant messaging apps as mentioned before.<\/p>\n<p>Telegram channels, a hybrid newsletter-forum tool, is another way to serve the community use case. This popular feature, which has lately become available on WhatsApp, allows anyone, from traditional businesses to online creators, and other celebrities, an unmediated way to communicate with their audiences.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/728\/a03\/fdf\/728a03fdfab910ddfac76f19e8c79251.webp\" alt=\"Image courtesy Telegram\" title=\"Image courtesy Telegram\" width=\"576\" height=\"576\"\/><\/p>\n<div><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/TelegramTips\/263\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><u>Image courtesy Telegram<\/u><\/a><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>On a personal level, I\u2019ve noticed when using Telegram for work purposes, it often takes the role of other apps. The ability to send large files (up to 2 GB) is ridiculously easy, which reduces the need for email, or file transfer services style WeTransfer.<\/p>\n<p>As for productivity, I could use it over Slack for chatting with peers, and organizing chats into folders helps to reduce the massive noise tons of groups tend to create, which makes the overall experience calmer.<\/p>\n<p>This blend of features, ranging from work to personal uses, creates Telegram an identity of a super app, and not in the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lindayaX\/status\/1683213895463215104?s=20\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">X way<\/a>. This unique market position often makes me sound some bizarre claims like Telegram could become the next social network or email client.<\/p>\n<h4>In the age of crypto<\/h4>\n<p>Interestingly enough, when the crypto space started to explode back in 2017, many crypto startups turned to Telegram to establish their communities, rather than Facebook groups or Slack which dominated this use case at that time.<\/p>\n<p>Whether or not crypto was a catalyst that brought Telegram to the forefront of the tech industry, I think it had a big role. Telegram went out of the crypto borders and suddenly many of my contacts started appearing on my phone screen as newcomers.<\/p>\n<p>Putting aside bot integrations, vast admin roles, and other community moderation features aside, I think there\u2019s something about the\u00a0<strong>directness<\/strong>\u00a0Telegram offers.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a profoundly different atmosphere, in my opinion, when chatting over Slack vs. Telegram. As Slack was built to serve teams for internal communication, it feels commercialized by its nature. Slack\u2019s channels feature is well suited for organic teams, but when it comes to causal interactions it feels less friendly.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, Telegram was initially built as an alternative for casual, instant messaging. When you take the single chat interface into communities, it often feels like a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.urbandictionary.com\/define.php?term=trollbox\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">trollbox<\/a>, but ironically it creates an\u00a0<strong>intimate<\/strong>\u00a0experience in some way.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780q1\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b4f\/643\/1e8\/b4f6431e8dec996ec454944a2ee301a6.jpeg\" alt=\"People trading on Polo READ THIS!!! : r\/BitcoinMarkets\" title=\"Poloniex old trollbox\" width=\"382\" height=\"547\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b4f\/643\/1e8\/b4f6431e8dec996ec454944a2ee301a6.jpeg\" data-blurred=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<div><figcaption>Poloniex old trollbox<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Having only one place to chat might deter introverts, but it enables situations where the CEO of a company casually replies to community members.<\/p>\n<h2>Built around privacy<\/h2>\n<p>What does it mean to design for privacy? You don\u2019t open an app, designed in a dark-mode theme and think to yourself\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cWow this feels so secure!\u201d<\/em><\/strong><em>.\u00a0<\/em>Neither it\u2019s enough to pick the \u201cright\u201c color to convey the \u201cright\u201d feeling.<\/p>\n<p>I believe privacy&#8217;s essence lies in its\u00a0<strong>intangibility<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t see it. It doesn&#8217;t wear a hat, nor does it come in a shape or color. It\u2019s something that needs to be conveyed. In other words, it\u2019s a feeling, an impression, that needs to be enacted in people\u2019s minds. This is what designers and product builders often call a product value or principle \u2014 and if to put it in the startup lingo, the glorified\u00a0<em>value proposition<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the years, Telegram has been in the headlines, often tied to some controversial events. From\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt15036416\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Shiny_Flakes<\/a>\u00a0to the famous\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Blocking_of_Telegram_in_Russia\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Russian government ban incident<\/a>, Telegram has often been at the center of attention. And there\u2019s no doubt this\u00a0<strong>privacy-first<\/strong>\u00a0approach has contributed to its public image.<\/p>\n<p>Privacy has become a real concern once our digital footprints have become a thing. We\u2019ve learned its importance the hard way, witnessing how our private data plays into the hands of the Big Tech. The companies that once seemed so innocent and ground-breaking, have turned into morally ugly monsters. It turned out that sacrificing people&#8217;s data is absurdly a lucrative business. This culture has shaped an economy where most companies, big and small, won\u2019t sacrifice the potential to see a financial upturn, even when it seems counterintuitive.<\/p>\n<p>However, this naivety of the past decade has now been replaced by more mindful approaches. These days we are more conscious of the tools or services we use and pay for than ever before.<\/p>\n<p>If there was a belief that privacy is a built-in component that comes with every product we use, then it surely faded away long ago.<\/p>\n<p>To me, that\u2019s why there\u2019s something novel about centering a product around privacy.\u00a0<strong>However, it raises an interesting question: if privacy isn\u2019t the money maker, how can it sustain a business?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the context of Telegram, attempting to answer this question requires looking at the bigger picture: Telegram is a company with a unique position. As an independent and private company, it has the luxury 99% of tech companies simply don\u2019t have. Its wealthy founders have been\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2023\/07\/18\/telegram-raises-210-million-through-bond-sales\/#:~:text=Durov%20said%20in%20his%20post%20that%20he%20%E2%80%9Cpersonally%20bought%E2%80%9D%20about%20a%20quarter%20of%20the%20new%20Telegram%20bonds%2C%20investing%20%E2%80%9Ctens%20of%20millions%20into%20Telegram%E2%80%99s%20growth.%E2%80%9D%20Over%20the%20last%2010%20years%2C%20Durov%20said%2C%20he%20has%20spent%20hundreds%20of%20millions%20on%20the%20app%20to%20keep%20it%20operational.\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">financing<\/a>\u00a0the company right from its inception, removing the danger of being hammered by investors or board decisions.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Durov said in his post that he \u201cpersonally bought\u201d about a quarter of the new Telegram bonds, investing \u201ctens of millions into Telegram\u2019s growth.\u201d Over the last 10 years, Durov said, he has spent hundreds of millions on the app to keep it operational.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2023\/07\/18\/telegram-raises-210-million-through-bond-sales\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Manish Singh, Telegram raises $210 million through bond sales<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<hr\/>\n<p><strong>A side note on business models<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Telegram\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/blog\/700-million-and-premium\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">introduced<\/a>\u00a0its\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/s\/premium\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Premium<\/a>\u00a0feature in 2022 as part of a more sustainable revenue stream. In a rough calculation, it needs to take more than 1.5 million customers to pay for the premium version to pay back only the \u201cinvestment\u201d Durov made. Although Telegram surpassed 800 million users, I\u2019m curious to know what\u2019s the conversion rate.<\/p>\n<p>I also see in this business model a distinction between Telegram and other apps like WhatsApp, Meta Messenger, and iMessage. The latter derive revenue either through the corporate channel or indirectly through their parent companies&#8217; various monetization channels.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>Features like end-to-end encrypted chats, disappearing messages, or self-destructing media are nice and all, but they have to be tied to a broader doctrine.<\/p>\n<p>When WhatsApp (Facebook) messed up its privacy policy in 2021, people have flocked away:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Popular messaging service WhatsApp recently saw a huge group of its users jump ship for rival platforms.<\/p>\n<p>The reason for the switch? An updated privacy policy.<\/p>\n<p>WhatsApp recently announced a new privacy policy that no longer allows users to opt out of\u00a0 sharing their data with parent company Facebook. According to the new policy, user data like phone numbers, address books, pictures and the contents of some messages will now be automatically shared with Facebook. The new policy goes into effect on February 8th.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/blakemorgan\/2021\/01\/14\/whatsapp-controversy-shows-just-how-much-privacy-matters-to-customers\/?sh=261d83f4ff33\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Blake Morgan, WhatsApp Controversy Shows Just How Much Privacy Matters To Customers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>I doubt this decision stems from novel desires. When a company is at the mercy of the interests of a parent company or board members, maintaining an original ethos becomes challenging. Telegram remains true to its origins, despite controversies that have given it a negative image.<\/p>\n<p>However, its origins become arguable in times when it takes a very particular stand.<\/p>\n<p>Telegram\u2019s strong privacy doctrine increases some moral and ethical debates. As we live perhaps at the peak (if there\u2019s any) of fake news, revisiting the sources which we consume content from is crucial. Twitter and Meta \u201cenjoy\u201d the rise of this phenomenon as it\u2019s skyrocketing traffic and engagement on their platforms. It also acts as another reflection of how our digital footprints get exploited for targeted ads and algorithmic manipulations.<\/p>\n<p>The nonconformist Telegram\u2019s agenda has been fueled digital activity of all kinds of organizations. Sometimes it\u2019s tied to just-above-the-law activities like\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/israel-news\/2017-09-22\/ty-article-magazine\/.premium\/uber-but-for-weed-the-man-who-revolutionized-israels-pot-trade\/0000017f-e0bf-d38f-a57f-e6ff5cee0000\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Telegrass<\/a>\u00a0but it often relates to extreme groups like terror organizations such as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/opinion-isis-is-now-harder-to-track-onlinebut-thats-good-news\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">ISIS<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/telegram-hamas-israel-conflict\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Hamas.<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/productidentity.co\/p\/3-telegram-the-mysterious-messenger#footnote-2-135820727\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Telegram&#8217;s novelty is overshadowed by those events, prompting the question of whether the platform leverages conflicts to boost user numbers or if it reflects a core belief of the founders. As with many things that live in the gray area, I can only assume it\u2019s a mix of both.\u00a0<strong>Nevertheless, the answer will probably remain unknown.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Still feels like a startup<\/h2>\n<p>Telegram is a 10-year-old company, post the so-called startup phase, but it still retains a vibrant startup vibe.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/karrisaarinen\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Karri Saarinen<\/a>\u00a0once\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/linear-app\/startups-write-changelogs-c6a1d2ff4820\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">wrote<\/a>\u00a0about the importance, in his opinion, of startups writing and publishing product changelogs. He gives numerous reasons why early-stage startups should embrace such an approach. He goes from getting customer feedback to investor relations, and that\u2019s how summarizes his essay:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>So write changelogs.\u00a0<\/strong>It\u2019s an<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>easy and low-effort way to keep the momentum, get new users, recruit, and build investor relationships. All things that help your company to be more successful.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A year later,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/brianlovin.com\/writing\/make-a-personal-changelog\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Brian Lovin<\/a>\u00a0also wrote about changelogs, this time from a personal standpoint:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever felt the frustration of building a personal website, only to watch it go stale, or felt like modern social networks only show a cardboard-cutout version of yourself, it might be time to make your personal changelog.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>I think that sense of\u00a0<strong>staleness<\/strong>\u00a0also resonates with the startup world.<\/p>\n<p>Often we witness a startup&#8217;s maturity process right in front of our eyes. When a young startup emerges, it tends to be loud and courageous. It might make bold announcements, declare war on incumbents, or take some radical approaches. Then, if succeeds, a shift occurs. It feels like once a startup overcomes its labor pains, more often than not it becomes\u00a0<strong>stale:\u00a0<\/strong>social accounts become silenced, and product development seems to be stopped.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a gradual process that often stems from a few reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>A startup grows beyond manageable resources<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>A startup becomes too busy with its inner world (politics, operations, etc.)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>A startup\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ourincrediblejourney.tumblr.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">sunsets<\/a>\u00a0after being acqui-hired<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/7fa\/b21\/aaa\/7fab21aaa06b4f02eba3cddf97da5665.png\" alt=\"Our Incredible Journey\u00a0\u2014 a catalog of startups that were acqui-hired\" title=\"Our Incredible Journey\u00a0\u2014 a catalog of startups that were acqui-hired\" width=\"1456\" height=\"866\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/7fa\/b21\/aaa\/7fab21aaa06b4f02eba3cddf97da5665.png\"\/><\/p>\n<div><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/ourincrediblejourney.tumblr.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><strong><u>Our Incredible Journey<\/u><\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0\u2014 a catalog of startups that were acqui-hired<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Therefore, publishing a product changelog is something worth dwelling on. It\u2019s an act that reflects a company\u2019s willingness to communicate and express itself to the outside civilization. It instills confidence that it\u2019s still alive.<\/p>\n<p>Telegram\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/evolution\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">maintains a product changelog<\/a>\u00a0that goes all the way from its inception. It probably didn\u2019t exist from day one, but just the resources, even if small, that were allocated to this task, reflect a sense of care and empathy towards its customers. Moreover, its\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/TelegramTips\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">official tips channel<\/a>\u00a0reveals how frequently the team pushes new updates and improvements.<\/p>\n<p>It may seem like a simple app on the surface, but it conceals many nuggets and less-known features, that are almost invisible to the average person.<\/p>\n<p>From a glance, even one who isn\u2019t a\u00a0<em>mega-super-power-user<\/em>\u00a0might notice that Telegram offers a large variety of features: reaction stickers, community management, video calls, drawing tools, sharable folders, and more.<\/p>\n<p>To me, that\u2019s also an expression of a startup&#8217;s DNA\u2014<strong>the pursuit of doing things that often seem no longer suit a company size.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also the same maturity process that causes startups to become tedious. Whether it\u2019s a redesign that turns a landing page into a corporate one filled with stock imagery, or a product that becomes a gigantic maze \u2014 it all tells a story of a soul that got lost.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the fact Telegram has grown into a vast product, the feeling of using it, both on mobile and desktop, feels cohesive. There\u2019s a clear distinction between core functions and product vitamins, which isn\u2019t an easy task.<\/p>\n<h2>When bots conquered the world<\/h2>\n<p>If I had to draw a timeline of tech hypes in recent years, it would probably look like:<\/p>\n<p>2023 \u2192 AI<br \/>2017 \u2192 Crypto<br \/><strong>2016 \u2192 Chatbots<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Similar to the hype following the launch of ChatGPT last year, Facebook kickstarted the trend of the time at the 2016 F8 event when it\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2016\/04\/12\/agents-on-messenger\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">announced<\/a>\u00a0its new Messenger chatbot feature.<\/p>\n<p>At that time, beloved apps of the design community, like\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2016\/08\/16\/the-shopinator\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Operator<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=flSLI2JmWVE&amp;t=3s&amp;ab_channel=Lemonade\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Lemonade<\/a>, had already bet on the premise of chatbots as part of their core experiences. But, when a giant like Facebook announced it entered the game, it seemed like a turning point.<\/p>\n<p>However, as years went by, Facebook&#8217;s premise didn\u2019t make it. Although chatbots are still around in the Facebook\/Meta platform, it didn\u2019t become what Isil Uzum envisioned with his\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dribbble.com\/shots\/2749390-Messenger-Bots-Partial-payment-Concept\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">astonishing concept<\/a>:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b6f\/43c\/3b8\/b6f43c3b8e541f07d0cdc1c76ba84ae2.gif\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b6f\/43c\/3b8\/b6f43c3b8e541f07d0cdc1c76ba84ae2.gif\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The term \u201cchatbot\u201d has gone through several incarnations over the past years. I got myself cautious about using this term as many companies adopted it as a buzzword mainly for marketing reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Chatbots have been at the core of Telegram since it was launched. It evolved from simple conversational interactions, and payment integrations to rich\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/core.telegram.org\/bots\/webapps\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Mini Apps<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/d48\/d88\/115\/d48d881159f3cea0bf04e4e9913bf35c.webp\" width=\"462\" height=\"462\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Bots have turned Telegram into a platform developers adore, and not only because of its cool name. As my developer-friend,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/omry-rosenfeld-a20406b9\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Omry<\/a>\u00a0puts it:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Telgram is very approachable by defnition. To get started you don\u2019t even need to go through the API. You just talk with the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.me\/BotFather\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">BotFather<\/a>\u00a0to create a bot and then you connect it to your codebase. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780q1\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/8c6\/fe9\/eea\/8c6fe9eead234a04653af34e6da2a91d.jpeg\" alt=\"The Botfather\" title=\"The Botfather\" width=\"698\" height=\"400\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/8c6\/fe9\/eea\/8c6fe9eead234a04653af34e6da2a91d.jpeg\" data-blurred=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<div><figcaption>The Botfather<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The bots platform is also a key element that distinguishes Telegram from other messaging apps. Unlike the Facebook attempt, Telegram managed to build and sustain its model of chatbots. Instead of reserving the \u201cApple walled garden\u201d approach, Telegram enabled an ecosystem where developers build and customize bots in various ways.<\/p>\n<p>In a way, it resembles the nostalgic experience of writing, or in my case, copying some pre-made scripts into the mIRC console to greet new users who landed on my server back in the day.<\/p>\n<p>Telegram might not write its LLMs (as far as I\u2019m concerned), but it serves as a great infrastructure for running different bot backends and interfaces.<\/p>\n<h2>A few words on branding<\/h2>\n<p>One of the things I believe makes a brand strong and memorable is\u00a0<strong>originality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>I like to think of a brand as the intersection between a company\u2019s inner and outer worlds which derive from product and marketing\/business.<\/p>\n<p>The world wasn\u2019t shaken up when the concept of stories,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/social-media\/snapchat-releases-snapchat-stories-feature-but-it-seems-like-a-lot-of-work-for-something-that-disappears\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">invented by Snap<\/a>, was rapidly implemented by other social apps like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and even Spotify.<\/p>\n<p>Stories have become a convention swiftly, much like the popular hamburger menu icon or the like button. That\u2019s the nature of conventions, when a pattern becomes established enough, consumers expect to see it elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>So when WhatsApp\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2023\/9\/13\/23871553\/whatsapp-telegram-channels-feature-global-rollout\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">announced<\/a>\u00a0its channels feature, no one criticized how it was \u201cshamelessly\u201d copied from Telegram.<\/p>\n<p>I can count many other examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Did anybody know the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bentogrids.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">bento grid<\/a>\u00a0before Apple took it under its wings?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Did Clubhouse really \u201ccopy&#8217;\u201c the new kid in town,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.getairchat.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Airchat<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>What about the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rectangle.substack.com\/p\/the-linear-effect\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Linear effect<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Remember\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.are.na\/claire-l-evans\/corporate-memphis\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Corporate Memphis<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s an endless list,\u00a0<\/strong>and I didn\u2019t even mention Stripe.<\/p>\n<p>Although a brand isn&#8217;t defined by its features or interface design alone, the above examples reflect the desired sense of originality. Whether it\u2019s a remix of old and new ideas, or inventing new concepts\u2014there must be a \u201cunique id\u201d that would identify a company\u2019s brand. A brand is measured not only by building a great product but also by building an unusual presence.<\/p>\n<p>In practice, the greatest brands would have a few \u201cunique id\u2019s\u201d which most commonly are a mix of an opinionated product design, illustrations language, a brand color, or a unique homepage.<\/p>\n<p>It might be deceptive to wander around its\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">homepage<\/a>\u00a0and find funky animated yellow ducks. The presumed dark mode design doesn\u2019t make an appearance either. Moreover, it\u2019s full of colorful visuals that convey playfulness, far from the perception of a company that allegedly provides a place for drug trading or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Government_censorship_of_Telegram\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">confronts<\/a>\u00a0governments.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/e4a\/3ce\/9e5\/e4a3ce9e528d9fb17170167a8438783f.png\" width=\"1456\" height=\"1267\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/e4a\/3ce\/9e5\/e4a3ce9e528d9fb17170167a8438783f.png\"\/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/8c5\/af9\/62c\/8c5af962c4db14a5ae4370c43cb776ab.png\" width=\"1456\" height=\"1267\" data-src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/8c5\/af9\/62c\/8c5af962c4db14a5ae4370c43cb776ab.png\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>However, this is only the product\/marketing-business side of a brand. The other side is tied to a company\u2019s public image, which is often derived from the founder\/s perspective.<\/p>\n<p>The public image of founder Durov complements Telegram\u2019s brand. His low profile on mainstream social networks, together with often controversial opinions and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/durov\/status\/843147431151894529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">statements<\/a>\u00a0serves the mysterious feeling that surrounds Telegram.<\/p>\n<p>And I think that\u2019s part of the magic in Telegram\u2019s brand personality. The above might sound like a contradiction, but that\u2019s what makes a\u00a0<strong>picture of a real brand<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<pre><code>Thanks Piotr Niklas, for reading drafts and contributing to this post.<\/code><\/pre>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><br \/> \u0441\u0441\u044b\u043b\u043a\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0440\u0438\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043b \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0438 <a href=\"https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/781608\/\"> https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/781608\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div><!--[--><!--]--><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-content-body\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-formatted-body article-formatted-body article-formatted-body_version-2\">\n<div xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\">\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><\/figure>\n<p>This article was originally posted at <a href=\"https:\/\/productidentity.co\/p\/3-telegram-the-mysterious-messenger\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Product Identity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>What comes to your mind when you hear the word\u00a0<em>Telegram<\/em>?<\/p>\n<p>I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if drugs, sex, or crypto are your first associations. Throughout the years, Telegram earned a shady reputation, perhaps not strategically, but for a \u201cgood\u201d reason.<\/p>\n<p>I feel like Telegram is a mystery. On the outside, it might be perceived as a platform designed for drug traffickers, crypto scammers, and sexual abusers.<\/p>\n<p>I shared this feeling when I joined the early team of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coindesk.com\/markets\/2017\/06\/12\/150-million-tim-draper-backed-bancor-completes-largest-ever-ico\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Bancor<\/a>\u00a0in 2016, as I also joined its internal group chat, needless to say, on Telegram.<\/p>\n<p>However, the app was quickly removed from my list of stigmas. Instead, I started to appreciate Telegram for its well-crafted product and care for design. From its meticulous attention to small details to have a unique brand \u2014 it stands as a dogma of an opinionated product (and a company) in many aspects. In addition, it helped me recognize the benefits of separating my private and professional lives early on.<\/p>\n<p>After using Telegram extensively over the past 7+ years, I feel the urge to write about it, but this time not in the spirit of its typical news headlines.<\/p>\n<h2>Under the radar<\/h2>\n<p>For years Telegram has lived in the shadow of other messaging apps. In a matter of just one week in February 2014, two big announcements were made:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2014\/02\/13\/japanese-internet-giant-rakuten-acquires-viber-for-900m\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Rakuten acquired Viber for $900 million<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2014\/02\/19\/facebook-buying-whatsapp-for-16b-in-cash-and-stock-plus-3b-in-rsus\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These moments have seemingly marked WhatsApp and Viber as the great winners of that time, gaining a huge financial fortune.<\/p>\n<p>Seven years later, another member of the instant messaging apps family,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/signal.org\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Signal<\/a>, earned a somewhat aristocratic reputation as the new beloved child of some famous tech figures.<a href=\"https:\/\/productidentity.co\/p\/3-telegram-the-mysterious-messenger#footnote-1-135820727\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">1<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><\/figure>\n<p>Although Telegram isn\u2019t as popular as its competitors in the Western mainstream, it still serves hundreds of millions globally.<\/p>\n<p>In my inner circles, Telegram is widely known but rarely utilized. I believe this reality has been perceived for several reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Popularity in countries with less attractive economies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The company&#8217;s unwillingness to become a TikTok-mainstream app<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Extremists have made a bad impression on outsiders<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Messengers like WhatsApp and iMessage have become the default for family and close friends chats. These apps were primarily designed for 1-on-1 and small group chats. Their dull interfaces might seem tedious for craftsmen, but that\u2019s what appeals to most people.<\/p>\n<p>With the rise of the smartphone, and as mobile broadband has become cheaper, it was only a matter of time before the future of SMS would become the same as the CD-ROMs. WhatsApp and iMessage have become the default for text communication, leaving the old SMS app a place for receiving spam and marketing messages.<\/p>\n<p>On the contrary, Telegram has found its place in the world of work\/business.<\/p>\n<p>From early on, Telegram groups, called\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/tour\/groups\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">supergroups<\/a>, were designed to support a huge amount of members, going all the way from 1,000 to 200,000(!!!) throughout the years. With enhanced admin moderation tools, it takes on a more classic software vibe reminiscent of mIRC or vBulletin forums, rather than a casual instant messaging app. It often seems like Telegram competes directly with community chat apps like Discord or Slack, instead of instant messaging apps as mentioned before.<\/p>\n<p>Telegram channels, a hybrid newsletter-forum tool, is another way to serve the community use case. This popular feature, which has lately become available on WhatsApp, allows anyone, from traditional businesses to online creators, and other celebrities, an unmediated way to communicate with their audiences.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\">\n<div><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/TelegramTips\/263\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><u>Image courtesy Telegram<\/u><\/a><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>On a personal level, I\u2019ve noticed when using Telegram for work purposes, it often takes the role of other apps. The ability to send large files (up to 2 GB) is ridiculously easy, which reduces the need for email, or file transfer services style WeTransfer.<\/p>\n<p>As for productivity, I could use it over Slack for chatting with peers, and organizing chats into folders helps to reduce the massive noise tons of groups tend to create, which makes the overall experience calmer.<\/p>\n<p>This blend of features, ranging from work to personal uses, creates Telegram an identity of a super app, and not in the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lindayaX\/status\/1683213895463215104?s=20\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">X way<\/a>. This unique market position often makes me sound some bizarre claims like Telegram could become the next social network or email client.<\/p>\n<h4>In the age of crypto<\/h4>\n<p>Interestingly enough, when the crypto space started to explode back in 2017, many crypto startups turned to Telegram to establish their communities, rather than Facebook groups or Slack which dominated this use case at that time.<\/p>\n<p>Whether or not crypto was a catalyst that brought Telegram to the forefront of the tech industry, I think it had a big role. Telegram went out of the crypto borders and suddenly many of my contacts started appearing on my phone screen as newcomers.<\/p>\n<p>Putting aside bot integrations, vast admin roles, and other community moderation features aside, I think there\u2019s something about the\u00a0<strong>directness<\/strong>\u00a0Telegram offers.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a profoundly different atmosphere, in my opinion, when chatting over Slack vs. Telegram. As Slack was built to serve teams for internal communication, it feels commercialized by its nature. Slack\u2019s channels feature is well suited for organic teams, but when it comes to causal interactions it feels less friendly.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, Telegram was initially built as an alternative for casual, instant messaging. When you take the single chat interface into communities, it often feels like a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.urbandictionary.com\/define.php?term=trollbox\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">trollbox<\/a>, but ironically it creates an\u00a0<strong>intimate<\/strong>\u00a0experience in some way.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"\">\n<div><figcaption>Poloniex old trollbox<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Having only one place to chat might deter introverts, but it enables situations where the CEO of a company casually replies to community members.<\/p>\n<h2>Built around privacy<\/h2>\n<p>What does it mean to design for privacy? You don\u2019t open an app, designed in a dark-mode theme and think to yourself\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cWow this feels so secure!\u201d<\/em><\/strong><em>.\u00a0<\/em>Neither it\u2019s enough to pick the \u201cright\u201c color to convey the \u201cright\u201d feeling.<\/p>\n<p>I believe privacy&#8217;s essence lies in its\u00a0<strong>intangibility<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t see it. It doesn&#8217;t wear a hat, nor does it come in a shape or color. It\u2019s something that needs to be conveyed. In other words, it\u2019s a feeling, an impression, that needs to be enacted in people\u2019s minds. This is what designers and product builders often call a product value or principle \u2014 and if to put it in the startup lingo, the glorified\u00a0<em>value proposition<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the years, Telegram has been in the headlines, often tied to some controversial events. From\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt15036416\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Shiny_Flakes<\/a>\u00a0to the famous\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Blocking_of_Telegram_in_Russia\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Russian government ban incident<\/a>, Telegram has often been at the center of attention. And there\u2019s no doubt this\u00a0<strong>privacy-first<\/strong>\u00a0approach has contributed to its public image.<\/p>\n<p>Privacy has become a real concern once our digital footprints have become a thing. We\u2019ve learned its importance the hard way, witnessing how our private data plays into the hands of the Big Tech. The companies that once seemed so innocent and ground-breaking, have turned into morally ugly monsters. It turned out that sacrificing people&#8217;s data is absurdly a lucrative business. This culture has shaped an economy where most companies, big and small, won\u2019t sacrifice the potential to see a financial upturn, even when it seems counterintuitive.<\/p>\n<p>However, this naivety of the past decade has now been replaced by more mindful approaches. These days we are more conscious of the tools or services we use and pay for than ever before.<\/p>\n<p>If there was a belief that privacy is a built-in component that comes with every product we use, then it surely faded away long ago.<\/p>\n<p>To me, that\u2019s why there\u2019s something novel about centering a product around privacy.\u00a0<strong>However, it raises an interesting question: if privacy isn\u2019t the money maker, how can it sustain a business?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the context of Telegram, attempting to answer this question requires looking at the bigger picture: Telegram is a company with a unique position. As an independent and private company, it has the luxury 99% of tech companies simply don\u2019t have. Its wealthy founders have been\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2023\/07\/18\/telegram-raises-210-million-through-bond-sales\/#:~:text=Durov%20said%20in%20his%20post%20that%20he%20%E2%80%9Cpersonally%20bought%E2%80%9D%20about%20a%20quarter%20of%20the%20new%20Telegram%20bonds%2C%20investing%20%E2%80%9Ctens%20of%20millions%20into%20Telegram%E2%80%99s%20growth.%E2%80%9D%20Over%20the%20last%2010%20years%2C%20Durov%20said%2C%20he%20has%20spent%20hundreds%20of%20millions%20on%20the%20app%20to%20keep%20it%20operational.\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">financing<\/a>\u00a0the company right from its inception, removing the danger of being hammered by investors or board decisions.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Durov said in his post that he \u201cpersonally bought\u201d about a quarter of the new Telegram bonds, investing \u201ctens of millions into Telegram\u2019s growth.\u201d Over the last 10 years, Durov said, he has spent hundreds of millions on the app to keep it operational.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2023\/07\/18\/telegram-raises-210-million-through-bond-sales\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Manish Singh, Telegram raises $210 million through bond sales<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<hr\/>\n<p><strong>A side note on business models<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Telegram\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/blog\/700-million-and-premium\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">introduced<\/a>\u00a0its\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/s\/premium\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Premium<\/a>\u00a0feature in 2022 as part of a more sustainable revenue stream. In a rough calculation, it needs to take more than 1.5 million customers to pay for the premium version to pay back only the \u201cinvestment\u201d Durov made. Although Telegram surpassed 800 million users, I\u2019m curious to know what\u2019s the conversion rate.<\/p>\n<p>I also see in this business model a distinction between Telegram and other apps like WhatsApp, Meta Messenger, and iMessage. The latter derive revenue either through the corporate channel or indirectly through their parent companies&#8217; various monetization channels.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>Features like end-to-end encrypted chats, disappearing messages, or self-destructing media are nice and all, but they have to be tied to a broader doctrine.<\/p>\n<p>When WhatsApp (Facebook) messed up its privacy policy in 2021, people have flocked away:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Popular messaging service WhatsApp recently saw a huge group of its users jump ship for rival platforms.<\/p>\n<p>The reason for the switch? An updated privacy policy.<\/p>\n<p>WhatsApp recently announced a new privacy policy that no longer allows users to opt out of\u00a0 sharing their data with parent company Facebook. According to the new policy, user data like phone numbers, address books, pictures and the contents of some messages will now be automatically shared with Facebook. The new policy goes into effect on February 8th.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/blakemorgan\/2021\/01\/14\/whatsapp-controversy-shows-just-how-much-privacy-matters-to-customers\/?sh=261d83f4ff33\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Blake Morgan, WhatsApp Controversy Shows Just How Much Privacy Matters To Customers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>I doubt this decision stems from novel desires. When a company is at the mercy of<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-363343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/363343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=363343"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/363343\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=363343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=363343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=363343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}