Telegram Quietly Allows Private Chat Reporting After Founder's Arrest
Telegram updates its FAQ to allow users to report private chats to moderators, marking a major shift in its moderation policy. The change follows the arrest of founder Pavel Durov in France.
Telegram quietly updates its website to explicitly allow users to report private chats to moderators, reversing its long-standing stance on user privacy. Previously, the messaging app's FAQ page states that it does not process any moderation requests related to private chats. Now, the company explicitly highlights that all Telegram apps feature "Report" buttons to flag illegal content for moderation in just a few taps.
The platform also takes additional steps to curb misuse by removing the "People Nearby" feature and disabling new media uploads to its Telegram blogging tool. Founder Pavel Durov explains that bad actors misuse these features, prompting the sudden removals. Furthermore, Telegram provides a new email address specifically for automated takedown requests to help moderators address illegal content more efficiently.
A company spokesperson claims that users always have the ability to report messages from groups, but this FAQ update simply makes the process clearer to comply with Europe's Digital Services Act. This significant policy shift comes directly on the heels of Durov's arrest in France, where authorities investigate crimes related to child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, and fraud committed by third parties on the platform.