Telegram CEO Pavel Durov mentioned the messaging app will now begin handing over customers’ IP addresses and telephone numbers if prompted by authorized necessities. Bloomberg, which first instructed the coverage change, famous that Telegram has traditionally been “unresponsive to elimination requests” and “typically ignores requests for details about suspected criminals.”
This improvement will likely be accompanied by the implementation of some moderation measures. Durov mentioned Telegram has begun utilizing synthetic intelligence and a workforce of human reviewers to take away “problematic” content material from search outcomes. Durov additionally requested customers to report unsafe and unlawful content material to the workforce to allow them to take away it.
The extent to which these adjustments will have an effect on Telegram’s reputation amongst folks engaged in criminal activity (or the flexibility of authorities to prosecute them) stays unknown. Whereas IP addresses and telephone numbers could assist triangulate customers’ actions elsewhere, Telegram customers can select from a number of layers of anonymity, akin to disappearing messages, end-to-end encryption or the flexibility to make use of the service. The service’s FAQ goes on to boast that “so far, we’ve disclosed 0 bytes of consumer messages to 3rd events, together with governments.”
Again in August, Durov was arrested in France for crimes dedicated on Telegram and ordered to remain there. He denies the accusations.
