Telegram Can Finally Earn Money From Sponsored Messages

The Telegram application can now bring in money for users. (photo: doc. unsplash)

JAKARTA - The instant messaging application Telegram can finally gain money with the new Sponsored Messages feature. This feature can allow anyone to promote their own channel or bot.

Sponsored Messages in Pavel Durov's application will be displayed on public channels with at least 1000 subscribers. However, users can only write messages of up to 160 characters. They will only be based on the topic of the public channel, where they are displayed.

Telegram further emphasizes on privacy, that no user data will be collected or analyzed for displaying ads. In fact every user who views a particular channel on Telegram will see the same sponsored message.

"User data will not be used to target ads. Like everything we do, our top priority is to protect the personal data of our users. Therefore, unlike other applications, we will not use your personal data to display ads," Durov was quoted as saying. from Gadget360, Saturday, November 20.

That means, no ads will be shown in chats and sponsored messages will not appear in private chat lists, or user groups. Telegram hopes this tool will help eliminate the need to place ads on channels in the form of regular messages, in favor of more user-friendly sponsored messages.

Currently, the feature is still in trial mode. Telegram says once they launch it allows it to cover the cost of the platform's basic infrastructure such as data centers and other necessities. The app will also share ad revenue with the admin of the channel where Sponsored Messages are displayed.

Meanwhile, Durov claims that Telegram is more ad-free than its main rival, WhatsApp, saying that the Meta-owned platform shares user data with advertisers, even though they do not display ads themselves.