In response to the recent arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France for “crimes committed by third parties” on the platform, the company said on its FAQ page that it had changed some of its privacy features and made it clear that users can report private chats to the company’s moderators.
Durov Defends Telegram’s Moderation
Durov posted on Telegram that police informed him he may be “personally responsible for other people’s illegal use of Telegram” and called this “surprising for several reasons”. Durov claimed Telegram responds to EU enquiries, and French officials have “numerous ways” to contact him.
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Durov added that if a country is displeased with an internet service, it usually uses it. Using pre-smartphone legislation to punish a CEO for third-party crimes on his platform is wrong.
“No innovator will ever build new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools.”
Durov acknowledged that Telegram is not “perfect” and that a recent user spike produced “growing pains” that allowed criminals to abuse the platform more easily. He also denied that Telegram is “some sort of anarchic paradise.”
Durov stated, “We take down millions of harmful posts and channels daily. “We report transparency daily. We process urgent moderation requests faster using NGOs’ direct hotlines.”
Behind the Curtain: Telegram’s FAQ Updates
As reported, Telegram has quietly changed its Frequently Asked Questions page and removed text that protected private chats from moderation, which Durov supported. Cybercriminals are drawn to the software because it is known for keeping data private.
With over 10 million subscriptions and about one billion monthly active users, the messaging app has long been known for its low user engagement monitoring.
Read also: Telegram claims ‘accusations against Pavel Durov are absurd’
Previously, Telegram said on its Frequently Asked Questions page about inappropriate content that all of its chats are “private amongst their participants” and that “we do not process any requests related to them.” This wording was removed from the updated FAQ, though.
It quickly mentions a report button that lets users tell Telegram’s moderators about illegal content; this was mentioned in the FAQ before but with less information.
Telegram has been accused of spreading illegal and extremist content because of its ‘hands-off’ content management. According to a report, Telegram, TikTok, and X organised the UK riots.
With this update, Telegram continues to show its dedication to making the app safe for all users so they can have conversations without worrying about seeing inappropriate material. Since messaging apps are still a big part of daily life, Telegram’s proactive steps set a new standard for keeping users safe and moderating material.