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The spotlight messaging app Telegram has made a significant shift in its privacy policy, now allowing government authorities to access data from users suspected of criminal activity.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who was arrested in France last month for refusing to hand over user data to authorities, confirmed the changes.
We’ve made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests,
Durov stated in a message on his Telegram channel. Previously, the platform had only disclosed data related to terrorism, and this only under a court order. Durov, currently out on bail in France, can’t leave the country while the legal process continues.
This change comes after years of criticism for allowing illicit activities like drug trafficking, cybercrime, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material to thrive on its platform.
Telegram Search is meant for finding friends and discovering news, not for promoting illegal goods. We won’t let bad actors jeopardize the integrity of our platform for almost a billion users.
Stated by Pavel Durov, defending himself against the charges.
It will be interesting to see how Telegram evolves under these new pressures and what steps the platform takes next. As criminals seek alternatives, it raises the question of which app might become the next hotspot for illicit activit. Perhaps Signal is already a contender.
This news follows recent reports of Telegram being restricted for Ukrainian officials due to national security concerns.
(Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)