Koo has in the last few weeks seen a massive surge in user base as Union ministers and government departments have endorsed the homegrown microblogging platform amid a spat with Twitter. From information technology ministry using Koo to broadcast its stand on Twitter not fully complying with its order to take down inflammatory content to ministers, including Piyush Goyal, urging people to switch platform, these developments have led to a surge in the userbase of the Indian rival. Koo, which has startling similarities with Twitter, now has over three million users.Downloads of Koo app surged 10-fold this week. Koo has a yellow bird as its logo in contrast to the blue bird of Twitter.
Homegrown Koo crosses 3 million users amid govt spat with Twitter
Koo, which has startling similarities with Twitter, now has over three million users.Downloads of Koo app surged 10-fold this week. Koo has a yellow bird as its logo in contrast to the blue bird of Twitter
PTI | February 11, 2021 | Updated 19:44 IST
Koo had raised USD 4.1 million in series A funding
Koo has in the last few weeks seen a massive surge in user base as Union ministers and government departments have endorsed the homegrown microblogging platform amid a spat with Twitter.
From information technology ministry using Koo to broadcast its stand on Twitter not fully complying with its order to take down inflammatory content to ministers, including Piyush Goyal, urging people to switch platform, these developments have led to a surge in the userbase of the Indian rival.
Ethical hacker Elliot Alderson, who exposed flaws in Aadhaar as well as the Aarogya Setu app, said the Koo app is leaking personal data and has a China connection.
Updated Feb 11, 2021 | 18:01 IST
The app came to prominence in 2020 following it winning the central government s Aatmanirbhar App Innovation Challenge launched shortly after the government banned 59 Chinese apps. Representational image. | Photo Credit: Twitter
Key Highlights
Koo was founded by Mayank Bidwatka and Aprameya Radhakrishna, the latter known for previously starting the online cab service TaxiForSure which was later acquired by Ola Cabs
While Twitter has a 280-word character limit, Koo s limit is 400 and it also offers users the option of recording and posting 1-minute short audio or video clips it calls Koos
In offering various languages including Kannada, Tamil, English, Hindi and Telugu, the app has projected itself as one which acknowledges “India s language diversity” and that “a global solution doesn t work for our people”
Story
Koo is buzzing and the first challenge for the app is to fight for its account on Twitter
On Twitter, the official Koo handle has fewer followers than a fake handle. The company co-founder tweeted about the matter on Thursday.
India Today Tech | February 11, 2021 | Updated 15:03 IST
The India made Koo app is now available on web, Android, and iOS platforms.
Highlights
The fake Koo handle that goes by the name @KooAppOfficial has over 19,000 followers.
Union minister Smriti Irani mistakenly followed the fake Koo handle on Twitter.
Koo, the desi microblogging platform, is getting all the attention lately thanks to a tussle between the government of India and Twitter. This was also the reason why a host of ministers from the government joined India made platform recently. The platform also witnessed a surge in downloads and onboarded some important ministries including MeitY which set up an account. However, it turns out that Koo platform is battling for its identity on T