Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov stated that the messaging app will now start handing over the IP addresses and phone numbers of users if prompted by legal requests. Bloomberg, which first the policy change, notes that Telegram has historically been “notoriously non-responsive to takedown requests” and “often ignored requests for information about suspected criminals.”
Accompanying this development is the implementation of some moderation. Telegram has started using AI, as well as a human moderation team, to remove “problematic” content from its search results, Durov said. Durov also asked users to report unsafe and illegal content to the team so they can remove it.
How much these changes will affect the popularity of Telegram with those engaged in illicit activities (or authorities’ ability to prosecute them) remains unknown. While IP addresses and phone numbers may be useful for triangulating users’ activities elsewhere, Telegram users can opt for several layers of anonymizing features, like disappearing messages, end-to-end encryption or the ability to use the service . The service’s FAQ continues to brag that “To this day, we have disclosed 0 bytes of user messages to third parties, including governments.”
Back in August, Durov was arrested in France for crimes committed on Telegram and ordered to remain there. He denies these charges.