On October 2, 2024, Telegram's founder and CEO Pavel Durov addressed concerns regarding the platform's privacy policy, emphasizing that the ability to disclose user data to authorities has been in place since 2018. Durov stated that Telegram complies with legal requests to provide IP addresses and phone numbers of criminals, ensuring that this process aligns with their commitment to user privacy.
Durov's clarification follows a previous announcement that raised alarms about potential vulnerabilities in user data security. He reiterated that while Telegram has streamlined its privacy policy globally, its core principles remain unchanged, prioritizing the protection of users from governmental overreach and criminal activity.
The recent update highlighted that Telegram had fulfilled 14 legal requests in the United States, affecting 108 users. Durov underscored that Telegram is dedicated to safeguarding the rights of activists and ordinary citizens while preventing criminals from exploiting the platform.
This clarification comes in the wake of Durov's arrest in Paris a month earlier on multiple charges related to the regulation of illegal content on Telegram, further intensifying scrutiny on the platform's operations.