Following the detainment of the company's leader, Telegram indicates its intention to share certain data related to alleged wrongdoers with the authorities.
Durov was detained by French authorities for alleged illegal activities on the app, such as illegal transactions and trafficking, along with the company's supposed refusal to supply data pertinent to the investigation. He was subsequently granted bail set at approximately $5.56 million as the investigation continues.
The inquiry ignited discussions about online freedom of speech and criminal activity, yet these concerns weren't entirely unexpected. The app, boasting over 950 million users, partly due to its end-to-end encryption and privacy protection claims, has long been criticized for its attraction to shady internet individuals and criminals. These have included drug dealers, money launderers, and extremists, including White supremacists and terrorist organizations like ISIS.
After his arrest, Telegram maintained that Durov had no secrets and that holding a platform or its owner responsible for misuse of the platform was illogical. Two weeks later, Durov conceded that the app's rapid user expansion had led to growing pains, making it easier for criminals to exploit the platform.
In an attempt to decrease criminal activity on the platform, Telegram revealed on Monday changes through a post on the app. Key modifications include updates to the terms of service and privacy policy, which now state that the company will provide IP addresses and phone numbers of rule-violating users to authorities in response to legitimate legal requests. Quartely transparency reports will be published to disclose data shared with law enforcement officers.
Durov pointed out that Telegram's advanced search capabilities, enabling users to discover public channels and bots, have been exploited by individuals breaking the site's rules to advertise illicit goods. A team of moderators, utilizing AI, have identified and eliminated problematic content from the search feature. If users still encounter unsafe or illegal content, they are advised to report it via @SearchReport.
Telegram did not respond to CNN's request for comment on the volume of content removed or whether any channels or accounts were prohibited as a result.
Durov declared that Telegram's search function was designed for friend discovery and news exploration, not the promotion of illegal commodities.
Although these modifications might diminish the occurrence of illegal activity in public parts of the platform, they will not necessarily halt the illicit use of private, end-to-end encrypted chats, where Telegram asserts it has "no means of deciphering the actual information" from conversations.
The decision to disclose user data with law enforcement agencies remains uncertain in relation to the ongoing French investigation.
Previously, Telegram had taken action against content contravening its rules, such as restricting channels linked or operated by Hamas during its conflict with Israel. Additionally, it prohibited calls for violence following reports that the app was utilized to organize far-right, anti-immigrant riots in the United Kingdom.
The tech industry and Telegram's business operations have come under scrutiny due to the platform's association with illegal activities. The updates to Telegram's terms of service and privacy policy aim to address this concern by providing user data to authorities in response to legal requests.
