Telegram, a free messaging service for smart phones, was the most downloaded app at the Dutch iPhone app store on Thursday, following the announcement that WhatsApp is being taken over by Facebook for $19bn.

Various Dutch websites had listed Telegram as the best alternative to WhatsApp for people who are concerned about Facebook’s privacy policy and don’t want the social networking site to have access to their phone number.

Telegram says it was downloaded 500,000 times in total on Thursday and also heads the download list in Spain and Germany, broadcaster Nos reports.