The Ubiquitization of Telegram: Analyzing uses and gratifications of Telegram in Iran

This paper tries to assess the Iranians’ motivations and reasons in using of Telegram and it’s preference over other kinds of social media in Iran. In fact, Telegram has become the most favorable Instant Messaging App among Iranians in recent years. Despite the importance of Telegram for Iranians, there has not been much research into the reasons which led to its popularity and ubiquitization. Hence, this paper tries to investigate gratifications in using Telegram for Iranians and the Iranian users’ practices in employing this IMA. Use and Gratification approach in combination with the diffusion of innovation theory constitute the research’s theoretical framework. Moreover, a triangulation of qualitative interview and participating observation is recruited as methodology. Beside the permanent observation, I interviewed 8 Telegram’s heavy users who began using Telegram from its emerging days. In fact, the sample consists of innovators and early adoptors regarding to Telegram diffusion. Result shows that three different kinds of reasons affect the Iranians motivation in choosing this IMA: Social oriented, App oriented and User oriented reasons and the interactions of these reasons lead to the ubiquitization of Telegram which means there is no differences between various groups (Educational. Sexual, racial …) in using Telegram. In final section, each category is discussed in details.