Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has agreed to provide user data to government authorities, marking a shift in the platform’s privacy stance after facing legal charges in France.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has announced that the messaging app will now share user data, such as IP addresses and phone numbers, with government authorities that present valid legal requests. This marks a significant policy shift for the platform, which had long been known for its stringent privacy protections and refusal to cooperate with government surveillance.
The decision follows Durov’s recent legal troubles in France, where he faces charges related to facilitating criminal activities on Telegram, including child pornography distribution. French authorities detained Durov in late August at Le Bourget Airport in Paris and imposed a travel ban, preventing him from leaving the country while the investigation continues.
Durov defended the platform’s policy update, stating, “This change is necessary to prevent the misuse of Telegram by criminals. However, the charges against me are misguided.” He expressed frustration with being personally targeted for crimes committed by third-party users, calling it an “outdated approach” to tech regulation.
The updated terms of service expand Telegram’s commitment to legal cooperation by ensuring that its policies align with global legal standards. Previously, Telegram had limited its cooperation to legally binding court orders specific to the jurisdictions in which it operated. However, critics have long accused the platform of being a haven for illegal activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and child exploitation.
In a post on his Telegram channel, Durov explained that the rapid growth of the platform, which now boasts hundreds of millions of users worldwide, had inadvertently attracted criminal elements. “We’ve experienced growing pains as our user base expanded, making it easier for criminals to exploit the service. I am personally committed to improving this situation and will share progress with you soon,” he wrote.
The company, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, had previously prided itself on minimal data collection compared to other messaging services. Offering end-to-end encrypted chats, Telegram had positioned itself as a leader in user privacy, promising that only senders and recipients could access their communications.
Despite this, critics argue that the platform’s privacy features have made it attractive to those seeking to operate outside the law. French authorities allege that Telegram has been used extensively for distributing child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking. Investigators claim the company refused to cooperate with information-sharing requests in previous investigations.
The company quietly removed a statement from its FAQ page which read: “We do not process any requests related to user data.” This change signifies a broader acceptance of legal obligations by Telegram, which had often resisted governmental data requests in the past.
Durov, a French-Russian national and UAE citizen, has reiterated his commitment to privacy but acknowledges that changes are needed to address the criminal abuse of his platform. “Telegram was never meant to be a paradise for lawbreakers,” Durov remarked in a recent statement. He added, “My goal has always been to balance user privacy with the responsibility to prevent criminal behavior, and these updates are a step in that direction.”
The legal scrutiny faced by Durov could have wider implications for the tech industry, particularly regarding how platforms handle illegal content and government cooperation. The investigation into Durov’s role will continue as French authorities examine Telegram’s compliance with legal standards for combating online criminal activity.
While Durov remains under investigation, his commitment to reforming Telegram’s policies to address these issues is likely to play a key role in the platform’s future operations.
