Telegram’s New Policy Raises Privacy Concerns
The Telegram messaging app has updated its privacy policy, leading to concerns among its user base regarding data protection. The new policy, announced by CEO Pavel Durov on September 23, states that Telegram will share user data, including IP addresses and phone numbers, with authorities when valid legal requests are made. This change marks a significant shift in Telegram’s approach to privacy, which has traditionally emphasized user confidentiality.
Anndy Lian, an author and intergovernmental blockchain expert, expressed concerns about the implications of this policy change. He noted that it highlights the ongoing conflict between regulatory compliance and the safeguarding of user data. The fear is that such compliance may encourage other privacy-focused services to adopt similar practices, ultimately diminishing the privacy standards that users expect from these platforms.
The policy update comes in response to concerns regarding the potential misuse of Telegram for illegal activities. Following Durov’s arrest in France in August, the company has implemented measures to enhance safety on the platform. These include artificial intelligence algorithms and human moderators tasked with removing problematic content from Telegram Search, aiming to deter criminal behavior and make the platform safer for its nearly one billion users.
While the update may raise alarms for privacy advocates, it is not unique among popular messaging apps. WhatsApp, the largest messaging platform, and Meta’s Messenger have long shared user data with law enforcement under certain conditions. WhatsApp’s privacy policy indicates that user information may be disclosed in emergencies that pose imminent risks, mirroring the practices of its competitors.
