Since 2018, the Telegram administration can disclose to the authorities of most countries the IP addresses and phone numbers of criminals in accordance with the privacy policy, said the creator and head of the messenger Pavel Durov.
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«Every time, having received a properly executed legal request through the appropriate communication lines, we confirmed it and disclosed the IP addresses/telephone numbers of dangerous criminals,” said Mr. Durov and added that the procedure has long been worked out. Last week, the Telegram administration unified and streamlined the privacy policy for users in different countries – the platform did not change its principles, because it has always strived to comply with laws that do not contradict privacy and do not jeopardize freedom of speech. “Telegram was created to protect activists and ordinary people from corrupt governments and corporations – we do not allow criminals to abuse the platform or escape justice,” concluded the platform’s founder.
The terms of service and privacy policy were unified for all countries on September 23. By submitting a legally valid request, law enforcement agencies can obtain the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate Telegram rules. Durov himself was detained in France on August 24; four days later, he was charged with a number of charges and released on bail of €5 million. Among other things, the head of Telegram is accused of complicity in the activities of an organized group in operating an online platform for carrying out illegal transactions, refusing to provide data when requested by authorized authorities, as well as money laundering.