Telegram, the controversial messaging app, has reversed its longstanding refusal to participate in child protection schemes by partnering with the Internet Watch Foundation, a leading international body dedicated to detecting and removing child sexual abuse material.
The decision comes four months after Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, was arrested in Paris over allegations of the platform’s failure to moderate extreme content, including CSAM.
The IWF described Telegram’s decision as transformational, though it emphasized that it marks only the beginning of a longer journey to improve content moderation on the app.
The Interim CEO of the IWF, Derek Ray-Hill,stated,”By joining the IWF, Telegram can begin deploying our world-leading tools to help make sure this material cannot be shared on the service.”
Telegram, with over 950million users worldwide has long marketed itself as a privacy-focused app.
However, investigations by media outlets, including the BBC, revealed its use by criminals to advertise drugs, cybercrime, fraud, and CSAM, earning it the label the dark web in your pocket.
In August, Durov, a billionaire with multiple citizenships, was detained in France for failing to cooperate with law enforcement on issues related to drug trafficking, fraud, and CSAM.
He remains barred from leaving France pending further investigations.
Telegram has previously maintained that Durov should not be held accountable for user activity on the platform.
However, Durov has since vowed to improve moderation, stating his ambition to turn Telegram’s content regulation efforts into a model for praise.
Before its partnership with the IWF, Telegram claimed to have removed hundreds of thousands of abusive materials each month using its proprietary systems.
However, the IWF’s tools are expected to significantly enhance these efforts by providing an evolving database of known abuse content to block and prevent its spread.
The IWF’s advanced detection system is already employed by major online platforms globally, and its inclusion in Telegram’s operations represents a step toward aligning the app with international norms.
While Telegram markets itself as offering end-to-end encryption like WhatsApp and Signal, the majority of its communication uses standard encryption.
This raises questions about its security and susceptibility to hacking or interception.
The partnership with the IWF is a significant move for Telegram, signaling a shift from prioritizing user privacy at all costs to addressing growing global concerns about illegal content.
Durov, who was born in Russia and now resides in Dubai, holds citizenship in Russia, France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Telegram continues to be especially popular in Russia, Ukraine, former Soviet Union states, and Iran.
As Telegram begins implementing IWF tools, experts and users alike will watch closely to see whether the platform can effectively tackle the challenges of balancing privacy, security, and content moderation.
