Telegram has introduced a feature described as a Peer-to-Peer Login Program, where users can obtain a Telegram Premium subscription in exchange for sending SMS messages from their accounts. The reported mechanism involves using the user’s phone number to deliver authorization codes to other users, according to a Telegram Information channel report (TGInfo).
The discovery was made on Telegram’s official site within a section that outlines the Peer-to-Peer Login Program. At present, the feature appears to be accessible only in a subset of countries and limited to Android devices. Telegram intends to use the user’s mobile number to send more than 150 SMS each month at the user’s cost. After reaching a predefined messaging threshold, the user is granted Telegram Premium, which unlocks additional functionalities and features within the messaging app. Telegram notes that it does not refund the costs for messages that are sent.
Telegram also cautions that taking part in the program could involve the user’s phone number becoming visible to recipients of the SMS codes, or vice versa. Users are urged to exercise caution and avoid sharing their authorization codes with others.
The feature was identified in the codebase of Telegram’s Android 10.8.1 release. A Telegram spokesperson stated that the program is intended to bolster security and convenience for users in regions where sending SMS incurs higher expenses. There has been no official information about plans to roll out the feature in Russia. Source: Telegram.
This development follows earlier reports about new capabilities seen in WhatsApp, which has also experimented with updates to its own communication and security features. Source: Telegram.