Telegram U-turn: Platform will now give user data to authorities

Messaging app Telegram has announced it will give users’ IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities if they have valid legal requests, marking a major policy U-turn for the company. 

The decision by the company, which has refused to police the platform for years, comes after its CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France in August for failing to manage extremist content on Telegram. He was released on bail but must stay in France during the ongoing investigation into the company. 

“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,” Telegram CEO Pavel Durov said in a Telegram post on Monday to his 13 million subscribers. 

Telegram now explicitly states on its site: “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”.

The company said such data disclosures will be included in its transparency reports. Telegram also noted that it may collect metadata such as IP address, devices and Telegram apps used, and the history of username changes to tackle spam, abuse, and other violations.

Launched in 2013 by Durov and his brother Nikolai, Telegram started its life as a messaging app that prioritised speed, security, and a way to avoid government interference. 

Telegram is marketed as a platform that does not moderate much or deliver user data to states, although it could as the end-to-end encryption is not a default setting, meaning that many users do not know their data is being kept unless they select encryption for each message. 

But such freedoms on the platform have caused concerns about it being used for illegal activities, including drug trafficking, child pornography, and money laundering.

The app has become a popular tool to organise anti-government protests, such as in Iran or Belarus, and a tool of communication in the Ukraine war. But it has similarly been used by Russia’s military and propaganda groups as well as global extremist and criminal organisations. 

Last week, the Ukrainian government said it was banning the use of Telegram by government officials, military personnel, and other defence and critical infrastructure workers, citing national security concerns.

Analysts told Euronews Next in August that Telegram’s reputation is a project that goes against cooperation with the state. Now that it is changing its brand, it remains to be seen if its 800 million active users will stay on the platform.