IMO Inc.

Who owns IMO?
IMO Inc. operates under the legal name PageBites, Inc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singularity IM, Inc. The company is privately held and was founded by Ralph Harik in 2007. The company received Series B funding in May 2013 but remains privately owned. As a private company, detailed ownership information is not publicly disclosed.

Is IMO Inc. publicly traded?
No, IMO Inc. (PageBites, Inc.) is not publicly traded on any stock exchange. The company remains privately held.

Who founded IMO?
IMO was founded in 2007 by Ralph Harik in Palo Alto, California. The company was established with the goal of creating better communication tools by aggregating multiple instant messaging services into a single interface, before evolving into a standalone messaging platform.

What is IMO's revenue?
IMO's revenue is not publicly disclosed as the company is privately held. Third-party business intelligence platforms estimate the company's annual revenue at approximately $14 million. The company generates revenue through advertising, premium features, and telecommunications partnerships.

How many users does imo have?
imo has over 200 million users across more than 170 countries, supporting 62 languages. Over 300 million video calls are made through imo every day. In late 2025, imo saw rapid growth in Russia, where active users grew from 333,800 in July 2025 to 9.82 million by the end of the year.

Is imo safe to use?
imo has implemented several safety features including end-to-end encryption for private chats, disappearing messages, screenshot blocking, and pop-up safety tips that use algorithms to identify potential harassers. However, the Exodus Privacy project has found that the imo Android app requests 90 permissions and contains multiple trackers, which has raised privacy concerns. Users should review the app's privacy policy and permissions before use.

What products does IMO Inc. make?
IMO Inc. develops imo (core mobile messaging app for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac), imo Lite (lightweight version for low-end devices), and imo for Web (browser-based platform). Features within the imo app include Global Web Call, VoiceClub, imo Cloud, and instant message translation.

IMO Inc. was founded in 2007 by Ralph Harik in Palo Alto, California. The company was established with the goal of creating better communication tools by aggregating multiple instant messaging services into a single interface. The original imo product, launched in 2007, was a web-based application that allowed users to connect across multiple platforms including Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, and AIM, solving the fragmentation problem in digital communication.

In 2010, imo launched a standalone mobile messaging application, transitioning from a web-based aggregator to a full-fledged messaging platform. The mobile app focused on providing free voice calls, video calls, and messaging with minimal data usage, positioning imo for growth in mobile-first markets.

In May 2013, the company received Series B funding to support expansion. By the mid-2010s, imo had gained significant popularity in emerging markets, particularly in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, where its efficient data usage made it attractive for users with limited bandwidth or expensive data plans.

In 2017, imo was briefly blocked in Russia by Roskomnadzor, the Russian telecommunications regulator, but the block was lifted after the company provided the necessary data to comply with Russian regulations. This event highlighted the regulatory challenges faced by global communication platforms operating across different jurisdictions.

In September 2023, imo launched Global Web Call, a feature that allows users to generate a shareable link for cross-platform voice calls, enabling non-imo users to join calls without revealing personal information or phone numbers. The feature supports up to nine simultaneous callers and is based on WebRTC technology.

In 2024 and 2025, imo introduced safety features including pop-up safety tips that use algorithms to identify potential harassers and alert users. The company also added end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot blocking for private chats.

In late 2025, imo saw a dramatic surge in users in Russia, growing from 333,800 active users in July 2025 to 9.82 million by the end of 2025, a 29-fold increase. This growth was driven by restrictions on audio and video calls in WhatsApp and Telegram within Russia, which led Russian users to seek alternative messaging platforms. Russian mobile operators including Sbermobile and VTB Mobile began offering imo as an unlimited service or zero-rated data service.

imo celebrated its 18th anniversary in 2025. The platform continues to operate with a small team while serving over 200 million users globally.

IMO Inc. does not hold B Corp certification or comparable third-party sustainability credentials. The company's sustainability approach is centered on digital efficiency and accessible communication rather than environmental certifications.

As a digital communication company, imo's environmental impact is primarily related to server infrastructure and data transmission. The company's focus on data-efficient communication inherently reduces bandwidth requirements and energy consumption per user compared to less optimized platforms. The company's remote-first culture with employees distributed across multiple countries reduces commuting and office footprint.

On user safety, imo has introduced several features in recent years:

• Pop-up safety tips that use algorithms to identify potential harassers (2024)
• End-to-end encryption for private chats
• Disappearing messages with timer settings
• Screenshot blocking for privacy chats
• Block and report functionality for harassing users
• Global Web Call feature that protects personal phone numbers (2023)

The company publishes a privacy policy, last updated in December 2024, detailing its data collection, usage, and protection practices. imo complies with GDPR for European users and provides account deletion options.

IMO Inc. has not received widely documented third-party awards or recognition. The company's notable achievements include:

• Over 200 million users across more than 170 countries
• Over 300 million video calls made daily through the platform
• 62 languages supported
• 18 years of continuous operation since 2007
• Rapid user growth in Russia in late 2025, growing 29-fold from 333,800 to 9.82 million users

IMO Inc. has faced several controversies and regulatory challenges:

Privacy and Security Concerns
The Exodus Privacy project, which analyzes Android applications for trackers and permissions, found that the imo app contains multiple trackers and requests 90 permissions, many classified as "Dangerous" or "Special" under Google's protection levels. The high number of permissions has raised concerns among privacy advocates about the extent of data collection and access requested by the application.

imo's privacy policy, last updated December 2024, discloses that the company collects personal information including contact info, location data, identifiers, usage data, and user content. The company shares aggregated data with third parties including advertisers, media, and potential partners or investors. The policy states that imo maintains appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal information, but the specific security measures are not detailed.

The Apple App Store privacy labels for imo indicate that the app collects data linked to the user's identity, including contact info, contacts, user content, identifiers, usage data, and diagnostics, as well as data used to track users across other companies' apps and websites.

Russia Regulatory Issues
In 2017, imo was added to the list of banned services in Russia by Roskomnadzor, the Russian telecommunications regulator. The block was subsequently lifted after imo provided the necessary data to comply with Russian regulatory requirements. The requirement to provide data to Russian authorities raises questions about user privacy and data access by government entities.

In late 2025, imo experienced rapid user growth in Russia following restrictions on WhatsApp and Telegram calls. Russian mobile operators Sbermobile and VTB Mobile began offering imo as a zero-rated service, and the platform's popularity surged. This growth in a market where the government has restricted competing platforms highlights the regulatory and political complexities of operating a global communication platform.

Content Moderation and Safety
imo has faced challenges related to harassment and malicious activity on its platform. In 2024, the company introduced pop-up safety tips and algorithms to identify suspected harassers, indicating that harassment has been a problem on the platform. The company's safety features, while improving, have been implemented reactively rather than proactively.

Regulatory Compliance
As a global communication platform operating in over 170 countries, imo must comply with data protection regulations including GDPR in Europe, CCPA in California, and various national telecommunications and data protection laws. The company's privacy policy references GDPR compliance and provides EU users with rights including data access, correction, and erasure. However, the company's compliance practices have not been independently audited or certified.