Pavel Durov, Telegram’s CEO, has announced significant changes to how the service will handle content moderation and investigations related to crime. After spending a few days behind bars, Durov is now willing to adopt a more collaborative approach with Western authorities.
Durov recently confirmed that Telegram has updated its terms of service, making it much harder for criminals using the platform. The new policy includes significant changes regarding collaboration with law enforcement authorities, who will now have easier access to crucial data useful for identifying suspects.
A valid order regarding a criminal suspect issued by the relevant judicial authorities will prompt Telegram to perform its own legal analysis of the order. The company may disclose a user’s IP address and phone number to authorities, and a quarterly transparency report will be issued detailing all the data shared with judges and investigators.
Before the change, Telegram’s terms indicated the company’s willingness to cooperate with authorities in identifying terror suspects, but nothing more. Now, the terms contain much clearer language indicating that Telegram no longer wants to be considered a safe harbor for criminals.
Durov was arrested by French authorities in August for allegedly failing to implement an adequate moderation policy against criminal activities on the platform. He was later released on bail and is still required to remain in France until the charges are resolved.
Telegram has assigned a team of moderators to address crime-related issues on the platform. These moderators, aided by AI algorithms and tools, have been searching for illegal content over the last few weeks. Telegram users are also encouraged to report any unlawful behavior occurring on the service.