The idea of ephemeral media is a well-known concept in social media. Since Snapchat made stories popular, many other platforms have experimented with similar features, including Twitter and YouTube. Recently, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced the platform's plans to introduce stories, and now they are available to Premium subscribers. Although it is unclear when free-tier users will have access to this feature, Telegram has confirmed that stories are now live and can be accessed by clicking the + icon above the chat list. Users can also see stories from their contacts and find their own uploads in the overflow menu under the My Stories subheading.
Telegram introduced stories based on user feedback and requests for features related to ephemeral content. The platform has incorporated most of the features we associate with stories, along with some exclusive options that give users more control and help Telegram stand out. For example, users can choose who sees their status updates and create a group of close friends who have access to exclusive updates. Additionally, users can pin stories to their profile, similar to Instagram Highlights.
Telegram's unique features raise the question of why other platforms have not implemented similar options for stories. Telegram allows users to make their stories disappear after a set period of time, between six and 48 hours. The platform also offers a Video Messages option that enables users to record stories using both cameras. Users can share links and tag other users in their stories as well.
Despite the lack of fanfare surrounding the wider rollout of the stories feature, Telegram's tweet suggests that an announcement will follow once the feature becomes available to all users and loses its premium exclusivity.
