Telegram is radically altering its stance towards “illegal” use of its messaging days after CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France for allegedly failing to police law-breaking content.
On Thursday night, the formerly freewheeling texting app extended its moderators’ reach to include private chats. For the first time, users in private chats can “flag illegal content” for review, Telegram wrote in a change on its FAQ page. An older version of the same page said Telegram treated private groups as off-limits.
The quiet policy shift could reshape Telegram’s alleged stature as a facilitator for all forms of illegality that French authorities are alleging. Last month, France arrested Durov for allowing alleged criminal activity to fester on the app. Durov has pushed back on the charges as meritless but must remain in France pending trial.
Earlier Thursday, Durov acknowledged in a Telegram post that the app’s rapid growth “made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform,” and promised changes.