Telegram updates policy amid founder’s legal troubles

Telegram has quietly updated its policy to allow users to report private chats to moderators, following the recent arrest of its founder, Pavel Durov, in France.

Durov was detained last month in connection with “crimes committed by third parties” on the platform, which has nearly 1 billion monthly active users and a reputation for minimal supervision.

On Thursday night, Telegram began rolling out changes to its moderation policy. The platform’s updated FAQ page now states that all Telegram apps feature “Report” buttons, enabling users to flag illegal content for moderators with just a few taps.

Additionally, Telegram has provided an email address for automated takedown requests, urging users to include links to content that needs moderator attention.

It remains unclear how these changes will affect Telegram’s cooperation with law enforcement agencies. Historically, the company has complied with court orders to share user information when required.

The Telegram policy update comes in the wake of Durov’s arrest by French authorities, who are investigating crimes related to child sexual abuse images, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions on the platform.

Following his arrest, Durov took to his Telegram channel to criticize the legal action, arguing that holding a CEO accountable for crimes committed by third parties on the platform is a misguided approach.

Durov warned that if entrepreneurs were held liable for the potential misuse of their products, innovation would be stifled, as no one would dare to create new tools.

Telegram has not yet commented on the implications of these policy updates.