Paris

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has said it will share with authorities the details of 'bad actors', a move that could fundamentally alter the privacy features of the encrypted messaging app. So fraudsters, porn peddlers and terror propagandists, beware!

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The Russian-born Durov, who was arrested in France before being released on August 28, appears to be caving in amid pressure to share such details.

“Telegram’s abrupt increase in user count to 950M caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform. That’s why I’ve made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve in this regard,” Durov wrote on his Telegram channel on Monday (Sep 23).

Watch: Gravitas: Why has the Telegram founder and CEO been arrested?

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The plan is to share with authorities the IP (or internet protocol) address and phone numbers of those violating the terms of service of the platform.

Ensuring user privacy while cracking down on illegal activities has been a tough challenge for Telegram: Millions flocked to the messaging platform as their telephone numbers are not revealed to other users, and the messages are encrypted. That was the USP of the app, along with features like timed destruction of images and messages. But at the same time, Telegram became the slush pipe and criminal underground of the internet, as chat groups were created to share illicit content including child abuse material, and scammers, fraudsters, extremists and criminals used it to sell their goods and services and to recruit.

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Also read: Telegram gets probed by Indian govt for gambling and extortion, may face ban: Report

Durov said those who violate the app's rules will have their IP address and phone numbers shared to authorities “in response to valid legal requests.” The policy will apply across the world, he wrote.

The company will hold a legal analysis of the authorities' request for such details before disclosing user data to them, he said.

Earlier, the privacy policy was broken only if court orders were issued against those using the platform for promoting terrorism, something that never happened before as per Telegram's own transparency reports.

Telegram has in the past been accused by experts and authorities of being a place for terrorist recruitment and propaganda. 

Saying his aim is to make Telegram “safer and stronger,” Durov also mentioned a crackdown on those abusing its search function.

Also read: Who is Pavel Durov? Facts about Telegram CEO arrested in France who once claimed to have fathered 100 kids

“Telegram search is meant for finding friends and discovering news, not for promoting illegal goods," Durov said.

The platform is now using artificial intelligence to weed out illegal content, making search feature much safer, he added.

Durov, who has citizenships of France and UAE, is facing a probe by French law enforcement authorities over the goings-on at Telegram. The charges against him facilitating on Telegram activities ranging from child pornography to drug trade.

(With inputs from agencies)