Telegram, the popular messaging app, has recently introduced a new feature called a peer-to-peer (P2PL) login program for selected users. This program offers free premium membership to users willing to use their phone numbers as a relay tool to send one-time passwords (OTP) to other users who are trying to log in to the platform. However, the use of this feature has faced criticism as it can lead to an increase in spam calls and text messages and may cause inconvenience, harassment, or harm to participants.
According to the app’s terms of service, the phone number will only be used to send a limited number of messages containing OTP codes, which includes international SMS per month, and Telegram will not bear any fees charged by the participants’ mobile service providers. The messaging app has also warned users not to contact any OTP recipients or reply to any messages from them and has reserved its right to terminate P2PL accounts if it finds any personal information about the recipient shared by the participants.
Telegram’s Premium subscription program, which was launched in June 2022, offers additional features such as faster downloads, exclusive stickers and reactions, and the ability to download files up to 4 GB. As of March 2024, Telegram has more than 900 million monthly active users and is being tested in several countries for users of the Android version. While the price of the Premium package is not too high, users should carefully weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks before deciding to participate in the P2PL program.