CEO Arrest Prompts Telegram to Modify FAQ on Illegal Content Moderation

The changes were made nearly two weeks after the platform's CEO, Pavel Durov, was arrested by French authorities for allegedly failing to prevent illegal content on the platform.

On September 6, the platform removed a statement from its FAQ on reporting illegal content that previously said , "All Telegram chats and group chats are private amongst their participants. We do not process any requests related to them." This statement now appears solely in the section about copyright infringement reports.

The updated FAQ now emphasizes the platform’s "report" feature, allowing users to flag illegal material directly for Telegram's moderators to review.

Durov spoke out on the matter on September 5, saying that Telegram will remain dedicated to its mission of supporting free speech. However, he noted:

Telegram's abrupt increase in user count to 950M caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform. That's why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard.

On August 24, the French authorities had arrested Durov, a Russian-born French citizen, and later indicted him on multiple criminal charges related to his role at the messaging platform.

The FAQ update signals a shift in Telegram's stance on content moderation amid growing concerns surrounding illegal activity on the platform.