Telegram's Durov Admits Seriousness of Criminal Allegations, Commits to Improving Moderation

Jan 18, 2025, 11:58 AM

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has acknowledged the seriousness of allegations against his messaging platform during court hearings in France. Charged with complicity in criminal activities, Durov admitted to realizing the gravity of the accusations while in custody. He emphasized that Telegram was not created for criminals, but acknowledged an increase in criminal use due to the platform's growing popularity. Durov committed to improving Telegram's moderation processes, noting that the platform removes between 15 to 20 million user accounts and 1 to 2 million channels or groups monthly to combat criminal abuse. He also mentioned that Telegram has shared data on over 10,000 users with authorities worldwide in the past six months. Despite announcing its first annual net profit in December, Telegram is reportedly burdened with a $2 billion debt. Durov underwent 10 hours of questioning, and the American National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) made 400 reports to Telegram in 2023. The 'People Nearby' feature was highlighted as a concern, with Telegram claiming 950 million users.