Join Highway Mail on Telegram for news alerts
Telegram has gained millions of users in recent weeks.
IN December 2019 the Highway Mail made the decision to move our news alert service from WhatsApp to Telegram.
This decision was made after Facebook, who owns the WhatsApp platform, began distancing itself from bulk messaging and stated it would no longer allow bulk messaging.
At the time, as a media organisation, we understood and respected the platform’s measures to reduce the distribution of spam messages.
Most recently the social media platform has come under fire after announcing an update on its terms of service and privacy policy – which would have taken effect on 8 February 2021.
ALSO READ: What the new WhatsApp update means for SA users
On its official Twitter page, WhatsApp announced on Friday, 15 January that due the amount of confusion surrounding the new policy it had decided to delay the update until May.
Thank you to everyone who’s reached out. We're still working to counter any confusion by communicating directly with @WhatsApp users. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on Feb 8 and we’ll be moving back our business plans until after May – https://t.co/H3DeSS0QfO
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 15, 2021
Some of the information WhatsApp said it would now be collecting from users included: telephone numbers, numbers of contacts in the user’s address book, profile name, profile picture as well as the user’s status messages and ‘last online’ status.
The announcement immediately sparked fears that the platform would now be able to read private messages and millions of users have, since the announcement was made earlier this month, moved to other instant messaging platforms including Telegram and Signal.
The platform has since shared clarity on the update. It assured users that private messages would remain encrypted and that it would not have access to users’ locations.
It stated that “… the update includes new options people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data. While not everyone shops with a business on WhatsApp today, we think that more people will choose to do so in the future and it’s important people are aware of these services. This update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook.”
If you would like to join us on Telegram and receive alerts you can either:
- Send us a message on Telegram with your name and surname to 060 532 5409
- Click the link below to automatically join one of our distribution groups: https://t.me/joinchat/TJhspcoD391l4V8N
Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.
Don’t forget you can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
