Mon Sep 23 17:42:17 UTC 2024: ## Telegram Changes Privacy Policy, Will Now Share User Data with Law Enforcement

In a significant shift in its stance on privacy, Telegram has announced it will now share user data, including IP addresses and phone numbers, with law enforcement upon receiving a valid legal request. This move comes after Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France last month for allegedly failing to cooperate with local authorities in combating illegal activities on the platform.

Durov, in a recent post, stated that Telegram is working to control its search function, which has been abused by some users to sell illegal goods. To combat this, Telegram has implemented AI-powered moderation to remove problematic content from its search results.

The new policy, which now allows Telegram to share user data for investigations beyond terrorism, has drawn criticism as it contradicts the app’s previous stance on privacy. Previously, Telegram only disclosed user data in cases of terrorism suspects with a court order.

The company’s decision to change its policy comes after Durov was charged in France for his alleged complicity in crimes like child pornography distribution and narcotics trafficking, which have allegedly been occurring on Telegram. While Durov initially vowed to balance privacy and security while resisting government demands for encryption keys and censorship, the recent changes seem to suggest a shift in his approach.

However, Telegram’s privacy policy still remains unclear on how the company will handle legal requests from more authoritarian governments. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the security of user messages, as Telegram does not end-to-end encrypt messages by default, theoretically allowing the company to hand over user messages to law enforcement.

This policy change has already sparked a reaction from cybercriminals, who are reportedly ditching Telegram over fears of their data being shared with authorities. The future of Telegram’s privacy and its ability to maintain a balance between user security and compliance with law enforcement requests remains to be seen.

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