Embattled Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has reportedly agreed to hand over the IP addresses and phone numbers of users of the encrypted messaging app to government authorities who make valid legal requests.
Durov, a Russian-French billionaire who was arrested in France last month and charged with numerous offences including facilitating the spread of child pornography through his popular messaging app, announced on Monday that he was changing Telegram's terms of service to stop criminals from using it.
The move marks a departure from Telegram's previous policy of often flouting government requests for user data.
Telegram has amassed a user base of hundreds of millions of people worldwide thanks to its reputation as an online messaging service that protects privacy, shuns data collection and refuses to cooperate with government authorities.
The app offers end-to-end encrypted chats that ensure only the sender and recipient can read the messages exchanged.
But critics say Telegram is a preferred communications method for criminal gangs involved in a range of illegal activities, including money laundering, sex trafficking and distribution of child pornography.
Telegram collects very little data compared to other messaging platforms, and the company has previously said it would only consider sharing data with governments if the request was backed by a binding court order in the jurisdiction where it operates.
The company is headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, and Durov is a United Arab Emirates national.
Durov wrote in a post on Telegram's channel that the newly updated terms of service appear to expand the company's policies by “ensuring consistency around the world.”
Earlier this month, Durov vowed to step up efforts to fight criminal activity on his messaging app after French authorities filed preliminary charges against him for facilitating illegal activity.
Telegram quietly removed the statement “We do not process requests related to these” from its FAQ page.
In a Telegram post on September 5, Durov defended himself against the French judicial investigation and suggested that he should not have been attacked personally.
“Using pre-smartphone law to sue a CEO for crimes committed by third parties on a platform he controls is the wrong approach,” the post read.
“Building technology is hard enough; innovators won't develop new tools if they know they could be held personally liable for the misuse of those tools.”
While Durov maintained that Telegram is not an “anarchist paradise,” he said the sudden increase in its user base “has caused growing pains that make it easier for criminals to exploit the platform.”
“That's why I've made it my personal goal to significantly improve things in this regard. We've already started that process internally and will share more details about our progress with you shortly,” he said.
Durov was detained by French investigators at Le Bourget airport outside Paris in late August.
France's accusations against Durov include that Telegram is being used to distribute child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that the platform has refused to share information and documents with investigators despite being required by law.
Durov has previously said he has “nothing to hide” and is banned from leaving France while the investigation continues.
With post wire
