The digital landscape in Spain is about to experience a major change with the recent announcement of the blocking of Telegram, one of the most popular messaging applications in the world. This drastic measure was ordered by the Audiencia Nacional, following a complaint filed by giants of the Spanish media industry, such as Mediaset España, Antena 3, Movistar Plus, and EGEDA. These companies accuse Telegram of facilitating the distribution of copyrighted content without permission.
The decision to block Telegram comes after the app's officials failed to respond to the accusations against it. With approximately 800 million monthly active users globally, the impact of this blockage in Spain is potentially immense, affecting a large portion of the population who use Telegram to communicate, share information and media.
Why is Telegram blocked?
The main reason for this blocking is the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted content via the Telegram platform. The plaintiffs claim that the application hosted and facilitated access to this content without the consent of the rights holders, in violation of intellectual property laws.
When will the blockage take effect?
Judge Santiago Pedraz issued the blocking order after Telegram failed to respond to the accusations. The messaging service, still active at the time of the announcement, could be blocked at any time, likely over the next weekend, once telecom operators implement the decision.
List of Solutions to Access Telegram Despite Blocking:
Using a VPN
One of the most effective methods to bypass Telegram blocking in Spain is using a VPN. By hiding your IP address and connecting to the Internet through a server located in another country where Telegram remains accessible, you can continue to use the application as if nothing had happened.
MTProto Proxy Bot
Telegram offers an MTProto proxy system, designed specifically for its platform. The @ProxyMTProto bot on Telegram itself provides proxy addresses that users can add to their Telegram settings to bypass restrictions.
Creating your own MTProto Proxy
For those looking for a more personalized solution, it is possible to create and host your own MTProto proxy. The official MTProxy GitHub repository offers a complete guide to setting up this type of proxy, providing a robust alternative for maintaining access to Telegram.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the impending blocking of Telegram in Spain highlights the significant challenges faced by Spanish users who rely on this platform for their daily communications. While solutions like using VPNs and MTProto proxies exist to circumvent these restrictions, this situation raises a deeper question about how politicians and legislators understand and approach digital issues.
In my opinion, this decision highlights a blatant lack of knowledge in the digital field on the part of political and legal leaders. Pointing to Telegram as the source of copyright issues seems to ignore the fact that similar violations could just as easily occur on other messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp, Signal, or Threema. The reality is that these platforms are just tools; it is the specific uses of these tools that may violate copyright laws.
This decision therefore appears to be nonsense, revealing a lack of competence and understanding of the digital world on the part of decision-makers. Rather than addressing the roots of the problem – that is, the illegal use of copyrighted content – it hits a communications tool widely used for its reliability and advanced features. This not only raises questions about the effectiveness of such measures, but also about freedom of access to information and communication in our society.
It remains crucial to defend our right to free and open communication. As a digital community, it is our responsibility to promote a deeper understanding of digital technologies among legislators, to avoid ill-fitting responses to complex challenges.
Enjoy 😎
AlexIn Tech