Pavel Durov Addresses Telegram Search Feature Backlash — ‘Our Core Principles Haven’t Changed’
Telegram strengthens its security measures against illegal activities as CEO Pavel Durov announces a revamp of the app's search functionality. l Credit: AOP.Press/Corbis via Getty Images
Key Takeaways
- In September 2024, Telegram updated its privacy policy and changed its search algorithm to combat illicit use of the platform.
- However, CEO Pavel Durov has sought to reassure users that Telegram’s core principles haven’t changed.
- Telegram’s CEO has been formally charged with 12 offenses.
Pavel Durov has sought to dispel fears that Telegram’s recent efforts to crack down on illicit activity on the platform undermine its commitment to privacy.
After he announced updates to Telegram’s terms of service and privacy policy, Durov’s latest comments dialed back the rhetoric. Facing a backlash from users over the apparent move to accommodate law enforcement, Durov stated that “in reality, little has changed.”
Telegram’s AI-Powered Crackdown
In an update on his channel in September, Durov acknowledged that individuals exploiting Telegram’s search capability—designed to help users find public channels and bots—had violated the platform’s Terms of Service to sell illegal goods.
Addressing this abuse, Durov revealed that a dedicated team of moderators, leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), has been working over the past several weeks to clean up problematic content and make the platform safer for all users.
Telegram‘s chief also assured the community that all illicit material identified in the search function is now inaccessible thanks to Telegram’s AI-backed moderation efforts.
“All the problematic content we identified in Search is no longer accessible. If you still manage to find something unsafe or illegal in Telegram Search, please report it to us via @SearchReport,” Durov shared on his channel.
Updated Terms of Service
To further deter misuse, Durov said Telegram has updated its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The app made them consistent across all regions. One of the key updates explicitly clarifies that Telegram may disclose the IP addresses and phone numbers of individuals who break its rules to authorities upon legitimate legal requests. This move sends a strong message to potential violators that Telegram is actively collaborating with law enforcement when necessary.
Durov also emphasized that Telegram Search connects people with useful information—whether for finding friends or staying updated with news—rather than facilitating illegal trade or promoting unlawful goods. He reassured users that these changes protect the integrity of Telegram’s platform, ensuring that bad actors cannot jeopardize its reputation.
The Telegram community has received the newly implemented measures. In fact, Durov’s post garnered over 14,800 likes, 6,700 comments, and 6,600 shares at the time of writing.
Durov Seeks to Reassure Telegram Users
In the most recent message on his channel, Durov notes that “my previous post may have seemed to announce a major shift in how Telegram works. But in reality, little has changed.”
He went on to explain that Telegram’s privacy policy has allowed it to disclose IP addresses/phone numbers of criminals to authorities since 2018. “Whenever we received a properly formed legal request via relevant communication lines, we would verify it and disclose the IP addresses/phone numbers of dangerous criminals,” Durov said. “This process had been in place long before last week.”
Rather than being a new initiative to collaborate with law enforcement, Durov said the latest updates are intended to “reduce confusion” by streamlining and unifying Telegram’s privacy policies across different countries. “But our core principles haven’t changed,” he said. “We’ve always strived to comply with relevant local laws — as long as they didn’t go against our values of freedom and privacy.”
Recent Allegations
Pavel Durov has faced allegations regarding the platform’s involvement in facilitating illegal activities. Critics argue that Telegram’s encrypted messaging features, along with its ability to host large, anonymous channels, have made it a breeding ground for criminal activity, including the sale of illegal goods and services.
Following his arrest in France in late August, Telegram’s CEO has been formally charged with 12 offenses. These include facilitating illegal activity, refusing to cooperate with authorities, and involvement in child pornography distribution. Drug trafficking and money laundering also figure among the multiple accusations.
Durov spent over 80 hours in police custody before obtaining freedom under strict judicial supervision. He then paid a €5 million bond to leave the jail. However, he has to report to the police twice weekly and remain in France.
Updated with additional reporting from James Morales
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