Recent tracking shows a noticeable shift in how Russians engage with messaging and social platforms. Telegram, in particular, has seen its daily user share climb by more than 20 percent over the course of a year, reaching nearly half of the country’s population aged 12 and older. This finding comes from an analysis conducted by Mediascope, as summarized by RBC.
According to the report, Telegram’s average daily reach at the end of December 2023 stood at 47 percent. That marks an uptick from 39 percent a year earlier and 20 percent in January 2022, underscoring Telegram’s rapid ascent in a competitive landscape of online services.
The expansion in Telegram’s audience helped the app rise to fourth place among the most visited Internet resources in Mediascope’s ranking. WhatsApp maintained the top position with a reach of 67 percent, rising from 61 percent in the final quarter of 2022. Following WhatsApp are Yandex with 56 percent and Google with 53 percent as the second and third-most accessed platforms. VKontakte sits in fifth place with an average daily reach of 45 percent, and YouTube is close behind in sixth at 44 percent.
Among younger users, Telegram dominates the landscape in the 12 to 17 age group, achieving a 76 percent coverage. By contrast, VKontakte and YouTube record lower figures of 69 percent and 68 percent respectively within the same demographic.
Beyond daily usage, the data show that Telegram reaches at least once a month by 68 percent of Russians in the fourth quarter of 2023. This cohort accounts for roughly 7 percent of total internet consumption. Across the board, instant messaging applications contribute around one-fifth of overall internet usage, highlighting how messaging has become a central channel for information, communication, and digital activities in the country.
These patterns reflect broader shifts in consumer behavior and the evolving role of messaging platforms in Russian online life. They illustrate how a single app can surge in popularity through network effects, feature updates, and the ability to integrate diverse services within a familiar interface. Observers note that continued growth hinges on factors such as privacy considerations, reliability, and the perceived value of each platform’s ecosystem for personal, educational, or professional use.
In related international developments, several regions have taken regulatory steps affecting messaging and social platforms. While such measures vary by jurisdiction, the common thread is a focus on balancing access to information with concerns about content moderation, data security, and the footprint of global tech services within national markets. Stakeholders including policymakers, businesses, and everyday users watch closely how these dynamics unfold, as they influence everyday communication, information sharing, and online behavior on a global scale.