Telegram, the popular messaging platform, has made significant changes to its privacy features and moderation policies. This shift comes in the wake of the recent arrest of Pavel Durov, Telegrams founder, in France. Durov was detained on charges related to crimes committed by third parties on the platform, prompting a reevaluation of Telegrams stance on user privacy and content moderation.
In response to the incident, Durov took to Telegram to express his surprise at the arrest. He emphasized that Telegram actively responds to EU inquiries and that French officials have multiple channels to contact him directly. Durov argued against the use of pre-smartphone era legislation to hold platform CEOs personally responsible for user-generated content, stating that such practices could stifle innovation in the tech industry.
While acknowledging that Telegram isnt perfect, Durov highlighted the platforms efforts to combat misuse. He mentioned that a recent surge in users had led to some growing pains, making it easier for criminals to abuse the platform. However, he refuted claims that Telegram is an anarchic paradise, citing the platforms daily removal of millions of harmful posts and channels.
In a significant move, Telegram has updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, removing text that previously shielded private chats from moderation. This change marks a departure from the platforms long-standing reputation for minimal user engagement monitoring, which had made it attractive to cybercriminals seeking privacy.
The updated FAQ now prominently features information about a report button, allowing users to flag illegal content to Telegrams moderators. This feature, while not entirely new, is now given more emphasis, signaling a shift towards more proactive content moderation.
