Telegram is one of the most used instant messaging and social networking apps.

It is free and open source and, according to its developers, its implementation is focused on security and privacy.

Other than individuals, Telegram is used by websites, news magazines, government agencies and organizations that want to reach their users rapidly and effortlessly by sending links, messages and notifications to their smartphones, tablets and PCs.

Telegram is available on iOS, Android and the main desktop operating systems;

it can also be used from within a browser, so as to grant access to the service from any modern device you can think off… Unless you have a disability and use assistive technologies!

In fact, while Telegram’s competitors like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger or Skype have developed/develop their apps considering accessibility for people with disabilities as a priority, Telegram’s developers have done a great job in creating an app which is not accessible on any platform it runs on.

Take the iOS or the Android app as an example: it is simply impossible to use the app for a blind person because it’s interface items cannot be read aloud by screen readers, a particular kind of assistive technology that allows visually impaired people to use smartphones or PCs.

Over time, many people with disabilities have asked the Telegram team to fix the app’s accessibility issues, so that they could start using it as well as their peers without disabilities; however, as of today nothing has been done to solve these issues.

For this reason we, the NVApple team (the most important resource for information for visually impaired people in Italy about Apple products) decided to launch this petition.

We want to stop what we believe to be a “discrimination”, given the social impact of this app. And who knows, maybe if enough people will sign this petition Telegram’s developers could change their mind on their products’ accessibility! Perhaps they’ll start giving people with disabilities their right to use this app as well!