Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has vowed to address mounting criticism regarding the platform’s content moderation practices, following his recent formal investigation in France. Durov, who is under scrutiny for allegations related to fraud, money laundering, and the distribution of illegal content, announced measures to enhance moderation on the messaging app.
In a message to his 12.2 million Telegram subscribers, Durov emphasized that while 99.999% of Telegram users are law-abiding, a small fraction involved in illicit activities has tarnished the platform’s reputation. “The 0.001% of users creating illegal content risk the safety of our nearly one billion users,” Durov stated. He committed to transforming Telegram’s moderation from a point of contention into one of commendation.
Although specific details on the improvements were not fully outlined, Durov disclosed that Telegram had already taken action by disabling media uploads to a blogging tool that had been misused by anonymous individuals. Additionally, the platform has removed the less popular “People Nearby” feature, which had been exploited by bots and scammers. The feature will be replaced with a new system highlighting verified local businesses.
These changes come in the wake of Durov’s arrest last month in France, where he was questioned and later placed under formal investigation before being released on bail. The case has sparked significant debate in the tech industry about the balance between free speech and the responsibility of social media platforms to police criminal activities.
Durov’s legal team has criticized the investigation, arguing that it is unreasonable to hold him accountable for crimes committed by other users on Telegram. Experts, including former Meta public policy director Katie Harbath, have suggested that while Durov’s actions are a step in the right direction, improving content moderation on such a scale may be more complex than anticipated.
In response to the investigation, Telegram has also updated its FAQ section, removing a claim that it does not process reports about illegal content in private chats, which had previously been protected. Durov did not comment on this specific change but noted that Telegram had reached 10 million paid subscribers, signaling growth amid the ongoing scrutiny.
Durov has acknowledged Telegram’s flaws and defended the platform’s efforts, stating that claims of Telegram being an “anarchic paradise” are false. He assured users that millions of harmful posts and channels are removed daily, and expressed surprise that French authorities did not contact Telegram’s EU representative or himself directly to address their concerns.
Sources By Agencies
