Telegram to remove or disable services that have been misused by scammers, says Pavel Durov

First Published Sep 6, 2024, 8:09 PM IST | Last Updated Sep 6, 2024, 8:09 PM IST

In a significant shift for the messaging platform Telegram, founder and CEO Pavel Durov announced that the company is removing or disabling several features that have been misused by criminals, bots, and scammers. The move comes just two weeks after Durov was arrested in France on charges of allowing criminal activity to proliferate on the app, including the spread of sexual images of children.

In a post on Telegram and X (formerly Twitter), Durov revealed that Telegram will take a new approach to moderating content. This overhaul includes the removal of the "People Nearby" feature, which was exploited by less than 0.1% of users but was particularly problematic due to bots and scammers misusing the service. Instead, the platform will introduce "Businesses Nearby," a feature designed to promote verified, legitimate businesses, allowing them to showcase their products and accept payments within the app.

Durov also announced the disabling of new media uploads to Telegraph, Telegram's standalone blogging platform, which had similarly been abused by anonymous actors for illegal purposes. "While 99.999% of Telegram users have nothing to do with crime, the 0.001% involved in illicit activities create a bad image for the entire platform," Durov said, emphasizing the need to protect the platform's reputation and nearly one billion users.

Durov further pledged that 2024 would be a year of transforming moderation on Telegram from a source of criticism to one of praise. He also highlighted that Telegram has reached 10 million paid subscribers, with Telegram Premium offering users additional features while phasing out some outdated services.

Durov’s announcements come just days after his arrest in France, where he was charged by the judiciary for alleged complicity in the spread of child sexual abuse material and other criminal activity on Telegram. Although he was released on bail after posting 5 million euros, the legal battle has sparked renewed scrutiny of how Telegram handles illicit activity.

The charges against Durov have raised questions about his accountability as the platform’s CEO. French authorities allege that Telegram has been used for various crimes, with Durov personally accused of not doing enough to prevent the app from becoming a haven for illegal activities. The Russian-born entrepreneur, however, vehemently denied these allegations in his first public statement since his arrest, calling the investigation "misguided."

In his statement, Durov rejected the notion that Telegram is an "anarchic paradise" for criminals. He pointed out that French authorities had access to a hotline set up by Telegram and could have contacted the company’s EU representatives at any time regarding concerns about the app. "If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to start legal action against the service itself," Durov argued. He also criticized French prosecutors for using outdated laws to hold him personally responsible for crimes committed by third parties on the platform.

The shake-up at Telegram is being closely watched by privacy advocates, law enforcement, and tech industry insiders. Telegram has long positioned itself as a privacy-first platform, but this stance has drawn criticism from governments that claim the app is too permissive when it comes to criminal activities. The changes announced by Durov signal a more proactive approach to policing the platform, though it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be in curbing abuse.

Durov’s legal troubles and the platform’s moderation challenges highlight the growing tension between tech companies and regulators as they grapple with the implications of encrypted communications and the balance between privacy and security.

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