Telegram’s Privacy Overhaul: IPs and Phone Numbers of Lawbreakers to Be Shared

After the arrest and subsequent release of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France, his Telegram channel shared that the messaging platform has updated its terms of service and privacy policy. According to these changes, the platform may disclose the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who violate laws or Telegram’s rules “to relevant authorities.”

Telegram Violators’ IPs and Phone Numbers to Be Disclosed to Relevant Authorities

On Monday, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced via his channel that the platform has updated its privacy policy and terms of service. The 39-year-old Franco-Russian was arrested on Aug. 24, facing accusations of facilitating criminal activity, including drug trafficking, fraud, pornography distribution, and money laundering. After posting €5 million ($5.5M) bail, Durov was released and addressed the public in early September, discussing the steps taken by the French authorities.

Two weeks later, Durov’s Telegram channel outlined the platform’s recent updates. He mentioned that, in the past few weeks, a dedicated team of moderators has been keeping an eye out for problematic content. To streamline their work, the team has also employed artificial intelligence (AI). As a result, Telegram’s search system has been limited, making harmful content “no longer accessible.” However, users are encouraged to report any illegal material they encounter via the platform’s Search Report channel.

“To further deter criminals from abusing Telegram Search, we have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, ensuring they are consistent across the world,” the statement declares. “We’ve made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.” The privacy policy states that metadata can be kept for 12 months maximum.

Telegram maintains that these steps will deter criminal activity. “Telegram Search is meant for finding friends and discovering news, not for promoting illegal goods,” the company declared. The statement wrapped up with a firm stance, “We won’t let bad actors jeopardize the integrity of our platform for almost a billion users.”

What do you think about Telegram’s new privacy policy and ToS? Share your thoughts and opinions about this subject in the comments section below.

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