Telegram Provides User Information to Various Governments, States Durov
Pavel Durov has announced that Telegram has been supplying authorities in various countries with the phone numbers and IP addresses of criminals since 2018. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Telegram has been collaborating with law enforcement on criminal cases since 2018, as its co-founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, disclosed on Wednesday.
Durov indicated that the messaging platform has adhered to privacy regulations across various countries and has been sharing information about criminals with authorities for six years.
The Russian entrepreneur has faced complications in leaving France after his arrest in Paris in late August, where he was charged with several offenses, including running a platform allegedly used for organized crime and non-cooperation with French law enforcement.
In September, Durov provided an update regarding the platform’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, clarifying that the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who dispute the messenger’s rules “can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.”
In a subsequent message on his Du Rove’s Channel, Durov emphasized that the updated policy does not represent a “major shift” in how Telegram operates, as the platform had been sharing information with authorities regarding users exploiting it.
“Since 2018, Telegram has been able to disclose IP addresses/phone numbers of criminals to authorities, according to our Privacy Policy in most countries,” Durov stated, explaining that the platform would verify any “properly formed legal request via relevant communication lines” before sharing details of dangerous individuals.
For instance, Durov shared that in Brazil, Telegram has responded to over 200 legal requests this year, while in India, nearly 7,000 requests have been addressed in the same timeframe. He also mentioned a recent increase in “valid legal requests” from European authorities, suggesting an improvement in the correct processing of such requests.
Durov clarified that the latest update to the privacy policy was intended to simplify and unify it, reinforcing that Telegram’s fundamental principles remain unchanged.
“We’ve always strived to comply with relevant local laws – as long as they didn’t go against our values of freedom and privacy,” he remarked, asserting that Telegram was designed to “protect activists and ordinary people from corrupt governments and corporations” and has never allowed criminals to misuse the platform or evade justice.
Durov's arrest occurred shortly after arriving at a Paris airport, leading to his release on bail a few days later. He faces 12 charges, including complicity in distributing child pornography, drug trafficking, and money laundering, with accusations suggesting that Telegram’s insufficient moderation practices permit extensive abuse of the service.
The businessman has firmly rejected the allegations, emphasizing that Telegram has always aimed to find a “right balance between privacy and security” while removing “millions of harmful posts and channels every day.” He also mentioned the publication of “daily transparency reports” detailing actions taken against the spread of illegal content.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
Durov indicated that the messaging platform has adhered to privacy regulations across various countries and has been sharing information about criminals with authorities for six years.
The Russian entrepreneur has faced complications in leaving France after his arrest in Paris in late August, where he was charged with several offenses, including running a platform allegedly used for organized crime and non-cooperation with French law enforcement.
In September, Durov provided an update regarding the platform’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, clarifying that the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who dispute the messenger’s rules “can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.”
In a subsequent message on his Du Rove’s Channel, Durov emphasized that the updated policy does not represent a “major shift” in how Telegram operates, as the platform had been sharing information with authorities regarding users exploiting it.
“Since 2018, Telegram has been able to disclose IP addresses/phone numbers of criminals to authorities, according to our Privacy Policy in most countries,” Durov stated, explaining that the platform would verify any “properly formed legal request via relevant communication lines” before sharing details of dangerous individuals.
For instance, Durov shared that in Brazil, Telegram has responded to over 200 legal requests this year, while in India, nearly 7,000 requests have been addressed in the same timeframe. He also mentioned a recent increase in “valid legal requests” from European authorities, suggesting an improvement in the correct processing of such requests.
Durov clarified that the latest update to the privacy policy was intended to simplify and unify it, reinforcing that Telegram’s fundamental principles remain unchanged.
“We’ve always strived to comply with relevant local laws – as long as they didn’t go against our values of freedom and privacy,” he remarked, asserting that Telegram was designed to “protect activists and ordinary people from corrupt governments and corporations” and has never allowed criminals to misuse the platform or evade justice.
Durov's arrest occurred shortly after arriving at a Paris airport, leading to his release on bail a few days later. He faces 12 charges, including complicity in distributing child pornography, drug trafficking, and money laundering, with accusations suggesting that Telegram’s insufficient moderation practices permit extensive abuse of the service.
The businessman has firmly rejected the allegations, emphasizing that Telegram has always aimed to find a “right balance between privacy and security” while removing “millions of harmful posts and channels every day.” He also mentioned the publication of “daily transparency reports” detailing actions taken against the spread of illegal content.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
