Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, clarified in an October 2 post on his channel that the platform has disclosed IP addresses and phone numbers of criminals to authorities since 2018. His post addressed concerns stemming from a recent announcement, assuring users that Telegram’s core principles remain intact.
Telegram’s Data Disclosure Policies
Durov explained that the policy to share IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities in response to legal requests was established long before recent updates. He emphasized that this practice has been in place since 2018, consistent with the platform’s privacy policies. Durov added that Telegram cooperates with legal authorities “in most countries,” ensuring the platform is not misused for illegal purposes.
He cited data from Telegram’s Transparency Bot, which tracks requests for user data. For example, in the first three quarters of 2024, Telegram disclosed user data in response to 75 legal requests in Brazil and thousands more in India, its largest market.
Streamlined Privacy Policy
In his post, Durov assured users that while Telegram had recently streamlined its privacy policies across regions, the company’s foundational principles have not shifted. He stressed that Telegram continues to protect activists and ordinary people, while cooperating with authorities to prevent abuse by criminals. Durov reiterated that Telegram’s mission is to defend privacy and freedom, stating, “We do not allow criminals to abuse our platform or evade justice.”
Ongoing Legal Challenges for Durov
Durov’s comments come amid a legal battle in France, where authorities indicted him on multiple charges related to illicit activity on Telegram. After his arrest on August 28, Durov was released on $5.5 million bail in early September. He has since been actively addressing these issues and updating users on Telegram’s efforts to combat criminal activity.
Despite the legal challenges, Durov remains firm in his commitment to maintaining Telegram’s balance between privacy protection and legal compliance.
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