Telegram modifies privacy stance, will monitor private chats after CEO’s arrest

Sep 6

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

Telegram has quietly updated its FAQ page, removing language that previously stated private chats were shielded from moderation. This change comes nearly two weeks after the platform’s CEO, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France, accused of allowing illegal activities, such as child exploitation and drug trafficking, to go unchecked on the messaging app.

Durov’s arrest follows allegations from French authorities that Telegram refused to cooperate in investigations related to criminal activity on the platform.

The charges include facilitating the distribution of child sexual abuse material and drug-related offenses. Durov, who had previously maintained that Telegram had “nothing to hide,” has now pledged to address these issues more proactively.

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In his first public statement since the arrest, Durov acknowledged the platform’s rapid growth — now boasting over 950 million users —has led to challenges in moderating illegal content.

“However, we hear voices saying that it’s not enough. Telegram’s abrupt increase in user count to 950M caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform,” Durov wrote in a statement. “That’s why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard. We’ve already started that process internally, and I will share more details on our progress with you very soon.”

The platform’s FAQ section on illegal content, which once stated that all chats were private and beyond the scope of moderation, now includes instructions on how users can report illegal activity through the app’s “Report” buttons.

While the company has updated its stance on reporting illegal content, it remains unclear how these changes will address broader concerns raised by French authorities. Telegram has long promoted itself as a platform that prioritizes user privacy and limited moderation.

Tags: Privacy, Social Media, Telegram

[karah rucker]

TELEGRAM QUIETLY CHANGED ITS FAQ PAGE, REMOVING A CLAIM THAT it does not moderate PRIVATE CHATS. THIS UPDATE COMES NEARLY TWO WEEKS AFTER THE PLATFORM’S CEO, PAVEL DUROV, WAS ARRESTED IN FRANCE, ACCUSED OF ALLOWING ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS CHILD EXPLOITATION AND DRUG TRAFFICKING, TO OCCUR ON THE MESSAGING APP WITHOUT ADEQUATE INTERVENTION.

TELEGRAM UPDATED ITS FAQ ON ILLEGAL CONTENT, WHICH PREVIOUSLY STATED THAT ALL CHATS WERE PRIVATE AND NOT SUBJECT TO MODERATION REQUESTS.

NOW, IT PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS FOR USERS ON HOW TO REPORT ILLEGAL CONTENT THROUGH THE PLATFORM’S “REPORT” BUTTONS.

DUROV’S ARREST STEMMED FROM ALLEGATIONS THAT TELEGRAM HAD BEEN USED FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, INCLUDING THE DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL. FRENCH AUTHORITIES CHARGED THE PLATFORM WITH REFUSING TO COOPERATE WITH INVESTIGATORS REGARDING THESE CONCERNS. DUROV HAD PREVIOUSLY MAINTAINED THAT TELEGRAM HAD “NOTHING TO HIDE.”

IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE ARREST, DUROV PROMISED TO STRENGTHEN THE PLATFORM’S MODERATION PRACTICES. HE ATTRIBUTED THE RISE IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY TO TELEGRAM’S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH, NOW BOASTING OVER 950 MILLION USERS, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS CAUSING “GROWING PAINS.”

IN A STATEMENT ON THURSDAY DUROV SAID:

“That’s why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard. we’ve already started that process internally, and i will share more details on our progress with you very soon.”

WHILE TELEGRAM HAS UPDATED ITS FAQ TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPORTING ILLEGAL CONTENT, THE FULL EXTENT OF THESE CHANGES AND HOW THEY WILL ADDRESS CONCERNS RAISED BY AUTHORITIES HAS YET TO BE CLARIFIED.

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