Janice R. Andrews
Telegram has changed its rules so that users can report illegal content found in secret chats. This is part of an effort to stop abuse on the app. After getting more pressure from the government, the company’s founder, Pavel Durov, promised to take stronger action against illegal activities. This update comes after that. The messaging app Telegram is known for putting a lot of emphasis on privacy and encryption. They had previously said that secret talks were not monitored, which meant that any illegal or inappropriate material was not checked very often. That has now changed, which is a big change in how the app moderates now.
The New Reporting Tool in Telegram
Telegram has quietly changed its Frequently Asked Questions page. It used to say that what people said in private and group talks would stay between them and not be seen by the company. CoinDesk said that Telegram’s FAQ now makes it clear how to report content that is illegal. On Android, users can report bad texts by tapping on them. On iOS, they can press and hold on the message to get to the “Report” choice. People who want to report material can also copy links to it and send them straight to abuse@telegram.org, Telegram’s takedown email.
People who use this new reporting tool should be able to take action against illegal material, especially in private and group chats, which have been called places where crime could start. The change is likely part of a larger effort to follow international rules and address rising worries about the platform’s role in hosting illegal material.
Pavel Durov was arrested and is having legal problems.
After Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, was arrested at a French airport in late August, the company changed its rules. French police arrested Durov as part of a probe into the platform’s moderation problems, especially how it wasn’t able to stop criminal activities like the spread of child pornography, drugs, and hacking software. Durov was quickly freed, but he is now being charged with “assisting in the distribution of illegal content” on Telegram and “refusing to cooperate” with police investigations.
Durov was shocked by the arrest, pointing out that Telegram has an official agent in the European Union and has made contact information, such as an email address, public for people to use if they need to report problems. Durov said that the company had already worked with French officials to set up a hotline to deal with fears of terrorism in the country. As Durov said in a public statement, holding a CEO personally responsible for how third parties use a website was “misguided.” He said that these kinds of acts could stop people from coming up with new ideas and making new digital tools.
Taking Action Against the Platform’s Abuse and Growth
Telegram has always fought for user privacy, but Durov said that the app’s rapid growth has caused some problems. With 950 million users, Telegram has had some “growing pains,” which have made it easy for bad people to use the platform for their own gain. He told everyone that Telegram is working hard to improve its filtering processes and has already taken steps within the company to fix these problems.
Users can now report illegal material in private chats, which is likely one of the first changes that can be seen in this process. Durov said that the company gets rid of “millions of harmful posts and channels every day” and keeps support lines open with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in case of pressing moderation requests. Telegram also puts out openness reports to show how it is working to stop abuse on the app.
Moving Forward While Being Examined
Even though Telegram is trying to improve its filtering, the company is still being closely watched, especially in the EU. The messaging service said earlier this year that it had 41 million users in the EU, but officials have since questioned whether or not these numbers are correct. They think that Telegram may have lied about its user base to avoid being regulated under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). This law makes it harder for illegal content and false information to spread on bigger platforms by putting tighter rules on them.
The new reporting tools are a big step toward making Telegram more accountable as it continues to change its rules in response to both user feedback and government pressure. It remains to be seen, though, whether these steps will be enough to please foreign regulators and stop more legal moves against Durov and the platform.
