Telegram, a messaging app renowned for its emphasis on privacy and anonymity, has announced it will now comply with certain legal requests from authorities. This decision, which marks a departure from its previous stance, comes in the wake of the arrest of its founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, in France last month.
“Valid legal requests”
Durov, who was accused of complicity in crimes committed through Telegram, including drug trafficking, has been released on bail. While the app remains committed to protecting the privacy of private chats through end-to-end encryption, it will now share the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who violate its terms of service in response to “valid legal requests.”
This move, which has been met with mixed reactions from users and privacy advocates, is aimed at addressing concerns raised by law enforcement agencies regarding the platform’s potential use for illicit activities. Telegram has faced criticism in the past for its association with criminals, including drug traffickers, money launderers, and extremists.
Private chats still protected by end-to-end encryption
While the changes may deter some criminal activity on public areas of the platform, it remains to be seen how effective they will be in preventing the misuse of private chats. Telegram has emphasized that it has no ability to decrypt the content of end-to-end encrypted conversations.
The announcement comes as Telegram continues to grapple with the challenges of balancing privacy with the need to address concerns about illegal activity.
