Telegram, the widely-used messaging platform, has announced changes to its terms of service. The update aims to deter individuals from misusing the app and compromising its integrity, as stated by Pavel Durov, the platform’s founder and CEO.
On Monday, Durov revealed that Telegram will now be more cooperative with law enforcement agencies. He said,
“In response to valid legal requests, we will disclose IP addresses and phone numbers of users who violate the app’s rules to relevant authorities.”
This marks a substantial departure from Telegram’s earlier policy, which only permitted the disclosure of such information under very specific circumstances.
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Disclose IP Address and Phone Number to Authorities
The updated Telegram Privacy Policy states that,
“If Telegram receives a valid order from the relevant judicial authorities that confirms you’re a suspect in a case involving criminal activities that violate the Telegram Terms of Service, we will perform a legal analysis of the request and may disclose your IP address and phone number to the relevant authorities.”
Previously, the company would only share user data if presented with a court order identifying the user as a terrorism suspect. Notably, according to Telegram’s transparency reports, this situation had never actually occurred.
Telegram Will Conduct a Thorough Legal Analysis
The revised policy expands the scope of potential disclosure to include users suspected of any violation of Telegram’s terms of service.
Durov emphasized that the company will conduct a thorough legal analysis of each request before releasing any user information. He added, “These measures will be consistent across the world.”
One of the primary targets of this policy change is users who exploit Telegram’s search function to peddle illegal goods. Durov stressed,
“Telegram Search is meant for finding friends and discovering news, not for promoting illegal goods.”
In recent weeks, Telegram has implemented artificial intelligence to enhance the safety of its search feature. Durov reported that this initiative has successfully flagged and restricted access to problematic content.
Durov’s Legal Challenges in France
The timing of this policy update coincides with ongoing legal challenges for Durov. The Russia-born CEO is currently under formal investigation in France, facing allegations related to the facilitation of child pornography distribution and drug sales on the platform.
It’s worth noting that law enforcement agencies and security researchers have extensively documented various illegal activities on Telegram, including the recruitment and organization of extremist groups.
In response to these developments, Durov took to his personal Telegram channel to address the issues. He wrote,
“Telegram’s abrupt increase in user count to 950M caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform. That’s why I’ve made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve in this regard.”
Durov concluded by expressing his commitment to making the app “safer and stronger,” signaling a potential shift in Telegram’s approach to user privacy and platform security.