Private Chats No Longer Safe? Telegram To Moderate After CEO's France Arrest

In a covert upgrade, Telegram deleted an earlier guarantee that it wouldn't assist law enforcement in obtaining user data. The Verge revealed this modification on September 5, which raises questions about the platform's dedication to customer confidentiality. Contrary to WhatsApp and Signal, Telegram does not automatically encrypt conversations, which might put user information at risk.

The FAQ originally stated, "All Telegram chats and group chats are private amongst their participants. We do not process any requests related to them." However, this language has been replaced with instructions for reporting illegal content. The updated section now informs users that all Telegram apps have "Report" buttons, enabling users to flag inappropriate material quickly. Additionally, Telegram has provided an email address, abuse@telegram.org, for automated takedown requests. This update has hinted at the shifting landscape of online privacy as platforms like Telegram adapt their policies in response to legal pressures.

The Verge has reported Telegram spokesperson Remi Vaughn as saying the app's source code has not changed. "Private chats are still private too, although you could always report a new incoming chat to moderators by using Block > Report. Anyone can check Telegram's open source code and see there were no changes."

CEO Pavel Durov issued his first public statement since his arrest on Thursday evening and said, "Telegram's abrupt increase in user count to 950 million caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform."

I'm still trying to understand what happened in France. But we hear the concerns. I made it my personal goal to prevent abusers of Telegram's platform from interfering with the future of our 950+ million users.

My full post below. https://t.co/cDvRSodjst

— Pavel Durov (@durov) September 5, 2024

"That's why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard. We've already started that process internally, and I will share more details on our progress with you very soon."