Telegram’s Shift in Privacy Policy After CEO’s Arrest Brings a New Approach to Safety

Following the arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov in France last month, the messaging platform is making significant adjustments to its stance on user privacy and security. Durov was detained and questioned by French authorities over allegations involving criminal activities on the platform, including gang-related transactions and trafficking, as well as the company’s alleged failure to provide requested data for the investigation. Although Durov was released on bail set at $5.56 million, the investigation is still underway.

The case has ignited debates over free speech and online criminality, though concerns about the platform’s role in facilitating illicit activity were not unexpected. With over 950 million users, Telegram’s commitment to encryption and user privacy has drawn criticism for being a haven for criminals and unsavory actors online.

In response to his arrest, Telegram defended Durov, insisting he had “nothing to hide” and dismissed accusations that either the platform or its owner should be held responsible for how it is misused. However, two weeks later, Durov acknowledged that the platform’s rapid user growth had created opportunities for criminal exploitation.

In an effort to curb such misuse, Telegram is now implementing new measures aimed at increasing safety on the platform, as Durov announced in a recent post. Key among these changes is an update to the platform’s terms of service and privacy policy, which now states that Telegram will provide IP addresses and phone numbers of users who violate its rules to authorities upon receiving valid legal requests. Additionally, Telegram has committed to issuing quarterly transparency reports detailing what user data is shared with law enforcement.

Durov highlighted that one of Telegram’s standout features – the ability to search for public channels and bots – has unfortunately been misused to sell illegal goods. He revealed that a team of moderators, assisted by artificial intelligence, has been actively identifying and removing problematic content from the search function. He also encouraged users to report any unsafe or illegal content they come across via the platform’s reporting tool, @SearchReport.

Despite these efforts, Telegram did not immediately respond to requests for clarification on the extent of content removal or whether any specific channels or accounts had been banned as a result. Durov emphasized that the platform’s search feature is designed to help users find friends and discover news, not to facilitate illegal activities.

While the changes may reduce criminal activity in public parts of the platform, they are unlikely to affect private, encrypted chats. Telegram continues to affirm that it cannot access or decipher the contents of private conversations, which are protected by end-to-end encryption.

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