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Rabat – Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has announced that the messaging platform is adopting a more proactive approach to combating illegal content and complying with government requests. This follows Durov’s recent arrest in France for allegedly failing to address criminal activities facilitated through the app.
In a message to his 13 million subscribers, Durov explained that Telegram has intensified efforts to remove “problematic content” and has enhanced its search feature to prevent misuse by individuals selling illegal goods. Over the past few weeks, the company employed artificial intelligence to scour the platform for such content to ensure that it is no longer accessible, the statement added.
Durov also updated the platform’s terms of service and privacy policy, stating that Telegram would now share users’ details—including IP addresses and phone numbers—with authorities in response to valid legal requests. “We won’t let bad actors jeopardize the integrity of our platform for almost a billion users,” he stated.
Durov’s arrest occurred on August 24 upon arrival at an airport outside Paris, and he has since been charged with multiple counts related to enabling illegal transactions on the application and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement. Released on a €5 million bail, he is required to remain in France and report to police twice a week.
Initially vocal against his arrest, Durov has since signaled a willingness to comply with French authorities. On September 6, he announced changes to the app’s “people nearby” feature, which he says will now take more precautions to connect users with legitimate businesses instead of bots and scammers. “This year we are committed to turn moderation on Telegram from an area of criticism into one of praise,” he stated.
In the wake of Durov’s arrest, many criticized the platform for its alleged failure to curb illegal content, including the reported facilitation of sexual abuse crime and the exploitation of women in Korea.
Included in the complaints is a recent deepfake pornography scandal that recently occurred in the east Asian country, where Telegram chat rooms, with hundreds of thousands of members, have been reportedly sharing explicit AI-generated images of women, including minors.
Last month, Korean authorities announced initiating a formal investigation into Telegram for its possible complicity in these crimes.
