Telegram’s Desperate Bid to Cover Its Tracks: Reporting Private Chats to Moderators After Founder’s Arrest
In a transparent attempt to salvage its reputation, Telegram has quietly implemented a new policy allowing users to report private chats to its moderators, mere hours after its founder, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France for crimes committed on the platform.
The messaging app, known for its lax supervision of user interactions, has always prioritized user freedom above all else. But following Durov’s high-profile arrest, Telegram seems to be scrambling to cover its tracks and appease authorities.
The company claims that the new policy change is a "few taps" away, with "Report" buttons now allowing users to flag illegal content for moderators. But this is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to curry favor with law enforcement agencies.
It’s a desperate move, considering Telegram’s history of resisting regulatory pressure. The company has consistently refused to cooperate with court orders, even going so far as to flaunt its defiance on its official channels.
But will this new policy change suddenly make Telegram a pariah? It’s hard to say. The company’s willingness to report private chats to moderators raises serious concerns about user privacy and anonymity. And what about the thousands of users who’ve been using Telegram to exchange illegal content, knowing they’re safe from prying eyes?
The timing of this policy change is hardly coincidental. Durov’s arrest has shone a spotlight on the dark underbelly of Telegram, and the company is clearly trying to stave off further scrutiny by appearing to take action against illegal activity.
But as TechCrunch has consistently reported, Telegram’s past behavior suggests that this latest move is nothing more than a PR stunt. We’ve reached out to Telegram for comment, but they’re no doubt too busy polishing their image to respond.
The real question is: what’s next? Will Telegram continue to flaunt its disregard for laws and regulations, or has the company finally seen the error of its ways? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Telegram’s latest move is a desperate attempt to salvage its reputation, and it’s far from convincing.
