Telegram Introduces Option to Report Private Chats to Moderators After Founder’s Arrest
Telegram recently revised its policy, now allowing users to report private chats to moderators. The change comes after the arrest of the platform’s founder, Pavel Durov, in France last month. Durov’s arrest was related to investigations into crimes including child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions involving content on the platform.
Telegram’s Past Censorship Policy
Telegram, which has nearly 1 billion monthly active users, has traditionally been known for its minimal monitoring of user communications. Previously, the platform’s FAQ page indicated that private chats were not subject to moderation requests, stating, “All Telegram chats and group chats are private between participants. We do not process any requests related to them.”
Telegram’s New Reporting Feature
However, on Thursday evening, Telegram made changes to its moderation practices. The updated FAQ page now includes a feature that allows users to report illegal content directly. Users can flag content to moderators using the ‘Report’ button available in all Telegram apps. Additionally, Telegram introduced an automated takedown email address where users can send links to content that requires moderator intervention.
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Impact on law enforcement cooperation
The impact of these changes on Telegram’s cooperation with law enforcement remains uncertain. The company has traditionally complied with court orders to release user information. Telegram has not commented on how this policy change might affect its interactions with law enforcement.
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The policy update comes after Durov’s arrest. In response, Durov criticized the legal approach to him, stating on his Telegram channel that it was wrong to use outdated laws to prosecute a CEO for the actions of a third party on a platform. He argued that countries dissatisfied with internet services should legally target service providers, not their management. Durov also warned that holding entrepreneurs accountable for the potential misuse of their products could stifle innovation, discouraging future developers from creating new technologies.
