The messaging app Telegram has made major adjustments in response to worries about criminal behavior and user safety, following the recent arrest of CEO Pavel Durov in France. Durov was placed under custody last month on suspicion of supporting illicit activity on the site, like as trafficking and gang transactions. The inquiry is still ongoing, and he was freed on bond. Long renowned for emphasizing user privacy and encryption, Telegram has come under increased scrutiny due to its use by criminals, such as terrorist organizations, drug traffickers, and money launderers.
In response to these challenges, Telegram has updated its privacy policy to cooperate with law enforcement on “valid legal requests.” This includes sharing the IP addresses and phone numbers of users found violating the platform’s terms of service. Transparency reports detailing the data shared with authorities will be issued quarterly.
Durov acknowledged in a post that the platform’s rapid user growth had made it easier for bad actors to exploit its features, particularly the public search function, which allows users to find channels and bots. He confirmed that Telegram has already implemented measures to counteract this, including the removal of problematic content through the use of artificial intelligence and a dedicated team of moderators. Durov encouraged users to report illegal content via a specialized bot.
While these efforts are expected to reduce criminal activity on public channels, concerns remain about illicit use in private, encrypted chats, where Telegram maintains it cannot decipher user conversations. The impact of Telegram’s cooperation with law enforcement on the ongoing French investigation remains uncertain. Telegram has previously restricted access to certain channels linked to groups like Hamas and removed violent content after incidents such as far-right riots in the U.K.
