Telegram modifies privacy stance, will monitor private chats after CEO’s arrest

Telegram has quietly updated its FAQ page, removing language that previously stated private chats were shielded from moderation. This change comes nearly two weeks after the platform’s CEO, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France , accused of allowing illegal activities, such as child exploitation and drug trafficking, to go unchecked on the messaging app.

Durov’s arrest follows allegations from French authorities that Telegram refused to cooperate in investigations related to criminal activity on the platform.

The charges include facilitating the distribution of child sexual abuse material and drug-related offenses. Durov, who had previously maintained that Telegram had “nothing to hide,” has now pledged to address these issues more proactively.

In his first public statement since the arrest, Durov acknowledged the platform’s rapid growth — now boasting over 950 million users —has led to challenges in moderating illegal content.

“However, we hear voices saying that it’s not enough. Telegram’s abrupt increase in user count to 950M caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform,” Durov wrote in a statement. “That’s why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard. We’ve already started that process internally, and I will share more details on our progress with you very soon.”

The platform’s FAQ section on illegal content , which once stated that all chats were private and beyond the scope of moderation, now includes instructions on how users can report illegal activity through the app’s "Report" buttons.

While the company has updated its stance on reporting illegal content, it remains unclear how these changes will address broader concerns raised by French authorities. Telegram has long promoted itself as a platform that prioritizes user privacy and limited moderation.

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