Telegram Changes Policy to Share Phone Numbers & IP Addresses in 'Valid Requests'
Telegram updated its privacy policy to state that it will provide user data, including IP addresses and phone numbers, to law enforcement agencies in response to a valid legal order.
- The adjustment follows the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov last month, who was charged by French authorities with complicity in illegal activity on the platform.
"If Telegram receives a valid order from the relevant judicial authorities that confirms you're a suspect in a case involving criminal activities that violate the Telegram Terms of Service, we will perform a legal analysis of the request and may disclose your IP address and phone number to the relevant authorities," reads the new privacy policy.
- Previously, Telegram committed to disclosing users' phone numbers and IP addresses only if a court order confirmed the user was suspected of terrorism. According to an archived version of the platform's policy, this has never occurred.
- The new policy also states that any data shared with authorities will be disclosed in the company’s quarterly transparency reports, accessible here.
- In related news, Ukraine's National Coordination Centre for Cybersecurity (NCCC) banned Telegram on all devices used within government agencies, military units, and critical infrastructure, citing national security concerns.
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