Telegram surpassed 500 million active users in January, according to a statement from Pavel Durov, the messaging app’s founder. Durov noted that 25 million people downloaded the platform in just 72 hours.

The growth of Telegram’s user base comes as digital censorship from the world’s largest technology companies intensifies. Various news media outlets have linked the growth of Telegram’s user base with recent changes to WhatsApp’s privacy policy.

Durov described Telegram as “the largest refuge” for people seeking a communication platform “committed to privacy and security.” He wrote in a post to his platform:

“In the first week of January, Telegram surpassed 500 million monthly active users. After that it kept growing: 25 million new users joined Telegram in the last 72 hours alone. These new users came from across the globe – 38% from Asia, 27% from Europe, 21% from Latin America and 8% from MENA.” READ MORE