Telegram’s Pavel Durov Announces New Measures Against Illegal Content

Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced a crackdown on illegal content following his arrest in France, The Guardian reported on Monday.

In a message on his personal messaging channel, he revealed that the platform has removed significant amounts of problematic content and will enhance compliance with government requests. Durov stated that Telegram’s search feature had been misused for illegal sales, prompting a review using artificial intelligence.

The updated terms of service will allow Telegram to share infringers’ details, including IP addresses and phone numbers, with authorities upon valid requests. Durov was arrested on August 24, 2024, for failing to control extremist content and was released on €5 million bail. He must remain in France and report to police twice weekly. Durov is committed to improving Telegram’s moderation practices, aiming to shift from criticism to praise in content regulation.