Telegram Updates Policy to Allow Flagging of ‘Illegal Content’ in Private Chats for Moderator Review

Telegram has updated its policy to allow users to flag illegal content in private chats for moderator review.

The change follows the recent arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France, where he faces allegations of permitting criminal activity to persist on the messaging platform.

Previously, Telegram’s FAQ page stated that the platform did not process requests related to private chats, indicating that they were secure and protected from moderation, according to a report from The Verge .

However, within the last 24 hours, this language has been quietly removed.

Telegram Users Can Now Report Illegal Conent

The updated FAQ now outlines a process for users to report illegal content.

“All Telegram apps have ‘Report’ buttons that let you flag illegal content for our moderators — in just a few taps,” the FAQ read, along with detailed instructions on how to do so.

Durov’s arrest and the subsequent policy shift mark a turning point for the platform, which has long been criticized for its hands-off approach to content moderation.

Telegram has served as a crucial source of information in conflicts like the war in Ukraine but has also been accused of being a hub for illicit activities such as child exploitation and drug trafficking.

French authorities charged Durov, claiming that Telegram failed to cooperate with investigations into these criminal activities, according to reports from the Associated Press.

In his first public statement following the arrest, Durov acknowledged the challenges Telegram faces due to its rapid growth.

He revealed that the platform’s user base had surged to 950 million, which he said made it easier for bad actors to exploit the platform.

Durov promised to address these issues, stating, “I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard. We’ve already started that process internally.”

Telegrams TON Surpasses 1 Billion Total Transactions

Telegram-linked blockchain The Open Network (TON) has surpassed 1 billion total transactions in the wake of a high-profile memecoin airdrop, which also caused two major network outages.

As reported, the network’s transaction volume has now exceeded 1.04 billion , with half of these transactions occurring in the past three months alone.

TON’s continued growth is largely attributed to recent developments, including the introduction of the W5 smart wallet standard.

The smart wallet standard, launched in collaboration with Tonkeeper, promises to deliver gasless transactions on TON blockchain.

In July, The Open Network Foundation also partnered with 1inch and Sign to launch the Web3 startup accelerator Triangle.

Meanwhile, Telegram held $400 million in digital assets by the close of 2023, according to its financial statement for that year.

Telegram, which had around four million premium users at the end of 2023, saw this number rise to over five million by mid-2024.

While the messaging platform generated $342.5 million in revenue, it still posted an operating loss of $108 million for the year.

Notably, about 40% of this revenue came from activities related to digital assets, including an “integrated wallet” and the sale of digital collectibles.