Government of EU Capital Prohibits Telegram
Amsterdam has prohibited its civil servants from using the messaging app on their work phones due to security concerns. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Amsterdam's municipal government has prohibited its employees from using the secure messaging application Telegram on work devices, claiming the platform is linked to illegal activities and espionage threats, as reported by BNR radio.
A spokesperson for the city's IT councilor, Alexander Scholtes, confirmed to BNR that the decision was implemented in April but was not initially made public.
"Telegram is a safe haven for hackers, cybercriminals, and drug dealers," said Scholtes, noting the app's potential role in enabling espionage activities.
BNR also highlighted a call from Amsterdam councilor Fatihya Abdi in September for a nationwide ban on Telegram. Abdi argued that the app facilitates the recruitment of youth for criminal activities across the Netherlands.
The Dutch Ministry of the Interior maintains a list of apps deemed “most risky,” advising against their installation on work-related devices. Notably, Telegram's ban follows the earlier prohibition of TikTok, another app owned by China, on government devices.
Telegram, with a user base of nearly two million in the Netherlands alone, continues to grow globally, particularly following privacy changes by WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta.
As with other platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger, Telegram offers personal and group messaging services. It distinguishes itself by also allowing users to create channels for broadcasting news and updates.
Pavel Durov, the Russian creator of Telegram, has publicly committed to user privacy and freedom of expression. During an interview with Tucker Carlson in April, Durov asserted his refusal to comply with US government demands for user data or to integrate surveillance mechanisms in Telegram.
In a recent update, Durov revealed that Telegram's monthly active user base had reached 950 million and was still expanding. After selling his stake in VK and leaving Russia in 2014 due to conflicts with the government, Durov has lived in various countries, ultimately choosing Dubai as his base of operations.
European Union authorities are now considering stricter regulations for Telegram, potentially categorizing it as a “very large online platform,” which would subject it to more comprehensive EU censorship regulations.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
A spokesperson for the city's IT councilor, Alexander Scholtes, confirmed to BNR that the decision was implemented in April but was not initially made public.
"Telegram is a safe haven for hackers, cybercriminals, and drug dealers," said Scholtes, noting the app's potential role in enabling espionage activities.
BNR also highlighted a call from Amsterdam councilor Fatihya Abdi in September for a nationwide ban on Telegram. Abdi argued that the app facilitates the recruitment of youth for criminal activities across the Netherlands.
The Dutch Ministry of the Interior maintains a list of apps deemed “most risky,” advising against their installation on work-related devices. Notably, Telegram's ban follows the earlier prohibition of TikTok, another app owned by China, on government devices.
Telegram, with a user base of nearly two million in the Netherlands alone, continues to grow globally, particularly following privacy changes by WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta.
As with other platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger, Telegram offers personal and group messaging services. It distinguishes itself by also allowing users to create channels for broadcasting news and updates.
Pavel Durov, the Russian creator of Telegram, has publicly committed to user privacy and freedom of expression. During an interview with Tucker Carlson in April, Durov asserted his refusal to comply with US government demands for user data or to integrate surveillance mechanisms in Telegram.
In a recent update, Durov revealed that Telegram's monthly active user base had reached 950 million and was still expanding. After selling his stake in VK and leaving Russia in 2014 due to conflicts with the government, Durov has lived in various countries, ultimately choosing Dubai as his base of operations.
European Union authorities are now considering stricter regulations for Telegram, potentially categorizing it as a “very large online platform,” which would subject it to more comprehensive EU censorship regulations.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
