Activists’ favorite app is just an everyday tool in Central Asia’s most populous nation. Police and criminals normally operate in different worlds, but not in Uzbekistan. There, all you have to do is open up your Telegram app, where you can report a traffic violation to authorities while texting your drug dealer. Secure messaging app Telegram has become synonymous with protests around the world. It’s been popular on underground channels in Iran since 2015, and figured prominently in activist movements from Puerto Rico to Hong Kong. But in Uzbekistan, it’s not just protesters who’ve embraced the app. It’s business, government, and yes, the police. In fact, Telegram is more popular in Uzbekistan than anywhere else in the world. | 