Telegram has announced it will start sharing data with authorities in case of valid legal requests, marking a significant shift in the platform’s privacy policies.
The announcement came in a Telegram post by the app’s CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov, who has 13 million followers on the platform. The data to be shared includes IP addresses and phone numbers, according to the post.
“We’ve made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests,” said Durov, who was arrested last month in France over alleged failure to contain “extremist” content on the encrypted messaging platform.
Durov was released on bail; however, he is not allowed to leave the country during the probe into Telegram. The company has updated its privacy policy on its website as well.
“If Telegram receives a valid order from the relevant judicial authorities that confirms you’re a suspect in a case involving criminal activities that violate the Telegram Terms of Service, we will perform a legal analysis of the request and may disclose your IP address and phone number to the relevant authorities,” Telegram’s revised privacy policy reads.
The platform’s former policy mandated data sharing only for individuals who were suspected of terrorism. “If Telegram receives a court order that confirms you’re a terror suspect, we may disclose your IP address and phone number to the relevant authorities,” the previous version stated.
Since its launch in 2013, Telegram has emerged as a popular platform for rights advocates, protestors, and dissenting voices. Under its earlier privacy policy, the platform refused to share user data with states to prevent government interference.
The platform has, however, been under intense regulatory scrutiny for the privacy and freedom it provides online, with Telegram’s detractors levelling allegations that the platform provides cover to individuals for carrying out drug trafficking, coordinated crimes, and other illegal activities.
