Telegram Modifies Private Chat Moderation Amid Durov’s Post-Arrest Speech

CEO Durov Addresses France Arrest with First Public Statement

Telegram, the popular messaging app, has updated its private chat moderation policies, marking a significant shift in its approach to content regulation. This change comes shortly after the arrest of its CEO, Pavel Durov, in France, sparking further scrutiny of the platform’s handling of illegal content. 

Previously, Telegram maintained that all private and group chats were confidential among participants, declining to process external requests related to them. Now, however, the platform’s updated FAQ page reflects an expanded content moderation policy, giving users the ability to report illegal activity within private chats.

Under the new guidelines, users can flag content they consider illegal through a dedicated report button available across Android, iOS, and desktop versions of the app. In addition to the in-app reporting feature, users can submit links to Telegram’s automated takedown email, providing an extra layer of oversight to prevent the spread of harmful content. This silent yet notable policy shift follows French authorities’ allegations that Telegram facilitated illegal activities, accusations that led to Durov’s arrest.

Following his detainment, Pavel Durov released a public post, his first since the incident, expressing his confusion over the situation. He stated that he is still piecing together the details of his arrest, noting that French authorities seemingly held him accountable for illegal activity conducted by third-party users on the platform. 

Durov explained that the French government had claimed they did not receive sufficient responses from Telegram, though the company has an official EU representative handling such requests.

Durov’s statement highlighted the surprise he felt regarding his arrest, emphasizing that if authorities are dissatisfied with an online service, legal actions should be directed toward the service itself rather than its CEO. He underscored Telegram’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal activity, citing the removal of millions of harmful posts and channels daily. 

Durov attributed some of the platform’s growing challenges to its rapid expansion, with Telegram’s user base now surpassing 950 million, inadvertently making it easier for criminals to exploit the platform’s vulnerabilities. Despite the recent controversy, Durov remains committed to improving Telegram’s moderation capabilities to address these issues. Following Durov’s speech, the TON price rose by 8% from its weekly low of $4.53 before slightly pulling back, now staying at $4.7.

This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.