Relents Under Legal Pressure, Agrees to Share User Data with Authorities

Telegram has agreed to hand over user IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities upon request, following mounting legal pressure and the arrest of its CEO, Pavel Durov, in France. Durov, who was charged with alleged complicity in the spread of child sexual abuse materials, announced the policy shift on Monday, marking a significant departure from the platform’s previous stance on user privacy.

The changes come as part of a broader effort to address concerns over Telegram’s reputation for being “notoriously non-responsive to takedown requests” and its reluctance to provide information about criminal activity. Durov explained that the new policy would help the platform shed its image as a haven for illegal activity.

In addition to sharing user data when legally required, Telegram has introduced a human moderation team and artificial intelligence (AI) systems aimed at identifying and removing “problematic” content. Durov urged users to report any unsafe or illegal material to the moderation team for review and potential removal.

Despite the new measures, it remains unclear how these changes will impact Telegram’s appeal to those engaging in unlawful activities. The platform now offers users multiple levels of anonymization, including vanishing messages, end-to-end encryption, and the option to use the service without a SIM card. However, Durov acknowledged that IP addresses and phone numbers could still be used to track user activities outside of Telegram.

“To date, we have disclosed 0 bytes of user messages to third parties, including governments,” Telegram’s FAQ still asserts, underscoring the platform’s commitment to user privacy despite the recent adjustments.