Instant messaging application Telegram has introduced a major update to its privacy policy under which the messaging app will share user data with authorities in response to legal requests.
The move by the social media platform comes less than a month after the app’s chief executive, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France.
Pavel Durov said that Telegram’s latest update (which is a major change from its previous privacy policy) is aimed at preventing criminal activity on the platform.
“To prevent criminals from abusing Telegram Search, we’ve updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy,” he wrote in a post to his official channel on Telegram, ensuring However, the policy is consistent across the globe.
“We have made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our laws may be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to legal requests,” he wrote. These measures should discourage criminals. The purpose of Telegram Search is to find friends and find news, not to promote illegal goods. We will not allow malicious elements to compromise the integrity of this platform.
