Free-Speech-Hero-No-More Pavel Durov Launches Policy to Verify its Users

All eyes are on Telegram CEO Pavel Durov since his arrest and subsequent bail approval.

In a significant shift for online privacy, or perhaps a response to mounting legal pressure, Durov announced on 23 September that the platform had updated its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to better address illegal activity and problematic content.

Following his arrest by French authorities in September on charges related to rampant drug trafficking and child exploitation on the platform, Durov has taken steps to cooperate with law enforcement.

Telegram now provides user information, including IP addresses and phone numbers, to authorities with valid warrants.

On 15 October, Durov further revealed the launch of a global SMS authentication service, allowing businesses to verify customer phone numbers for a $0.01 fee per code.

With over 950 million monthly active users, Telegram's new verification system could streamline business operations while also addressing safety concerns.

Durov acknowledged that while only a small percentage of users engage in illegal activities, their actions endanger the platform's overall community.

Telegram's recent moves mark a clear pivot from its previous stance of refusing to comply with data requests, which led to bans in countries like Iran and Russia.

This shift underscores the delicate balance between ensuring public safety and maintaining privacy.

The company's actions highlight the challenges faced by large-scale messaging platforms in preventing their misuse by criminals, offering a valuable lesson to other tech developers on the importance of proactively addressing security risks.

Inhibiting Its Search Engine

Telegram's recent update also weakens its once-powerful search engine, which had allowed users to easily find public channels and bots, some of which were linked to illegal activities.

Durov said in a statement:

"Over the last few weeks, a dedicated team of moderators, leveraging AI, has made Telegram Search much safer. All the problematic content we identified in Search is no longer accessible."

This change is expected to reduce the platform's role in facilitating unlawful trade, potentially boosting trust in what has been regarded as one of the most secure communication apps.

As privacy remains a critical issue in tech, the motivations behind Durov's actions—whether driven by legal pressure following his arrest or a genuine effort to reform the platform—are yet to be fully understood.

How will these measures impact Telegram in the long run?