Telegram shifts stance on user data, will share IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities
Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov announces the platform will comply with legal requests for user data, following his recent arrest in France on serious charges.
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In a notable pivot from its historically hands-off approach to user privacy, messaging app Telegram has announced that it will now provide users' IP addresses and phone numbers to relevant authorities upon receiving valid legal requests, Bloomberg reports.
This decision, articulated by CEO Pavel Durov in a post on Telegram Monday, aims to deter criminal misuse of the platform, particularly in light of Durov's recent arrest in France on charges related to alleged complicity in the spread of child sexual abuse materials.
The policy shifts marks a departure from Telegram's previous reputation for lax moderation and its reluctance to respond to government data requests. Traditionally, the UAE-based platform has faced criticism for its non-responsiveness to takedown demands from governments worldwide and for often ignoring enquiries related to suspected criminal activities.
Durov further revealed that Telegram has begun using artificial intelligence and a dedicated team of moderators to obscure problematic content from search results, enhancing efforts to prevent misuse of the app. This comes in response to a growing chorus of concerns regarding the platform's use by extremists and conspiracy theorists, with white supremacists in the U.S. reportedly leveraging Telegram to coordinate attacks on power infrastructure.
In August, French prosecutors charged Durov with serious offences, alleging that he has overseen a company that refused to assist law enforcement with legal wiretaps targeting suspected criminals.
Earlier this month, the app disabled new media uploads in a bid to curb bots and scammers, signaling a shift toward more stringent controls amid escalating scrutiny from governments ranging from the European Union to authoritarian regimes in Russia and Iran. The Kremlin, which attempted to block Telegram in 2018 before reversing its decision two years later, had cited a willingness from Durov to help combat extremism and terrorism.
