Telegram’s owner, Pavel Durov, announced some new updates to the platform that will make it harder to use for illegal purposes.
According to Durov, Telegram’s search functionality is more powerful than that of other messaging apps because it allows users to find public channels and bots. Unfortunately, this feature has been misused by individuals violating the platform’s Terms of Service to sell illegal goods.
“In recent weeks, a special moderation team, assisted by artificial intelligence, has made Telegram’s search much safer. All problematic content we found in the Search has been removed. If you still come across any dangerous or illegal content in Telegram’s Search, please report it via @SearchReport”, wrote Pavel Durov.
Additionally, Telegram has updated its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to “further deter criminals.” From now on, the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who break the rules can be shared with the relevant law enforcement agencies in response to legitimate requests.
“These measures should discourage criminals”, Durov stated. “Telegram’s search is intended for finding friends and news, not for promoting illegal goods. We will not allow bad actors to jeopardize the integrity of our platform for nearly a billion users.”
